L6 Farmer Mac
by miss37
Summary: Sequel to "I'm Going To Alabama". Mac and Jo have been living in Alabama for almost a year now and Mac is bored stiff. He wants to change things around the farm, but will Jo cooperate with him? Will she let him do what he wants? Will it work out? Not only that, but Jo gets a visitor that may bring some trouble.
1. Chapter 1

They had been living in Alabama for a whole year now. It was peaceful and quiet…and boring. Mac Taylor was sitting in the old swing under the big Oak tree behind the house where Jo Danville had lived as a child and a young girl. She was not Jo "Danville" anymore. She had even changed her last name to Taylor. They had gotten married before they moved into this big house together. Mac had always believed in marriage, not that Jo had but she loved Mac.

Mac sat there in the swing and sighed. He had enjoyed living there for a long time and had enjoyed the quiet and sitting around relaxing, but now he found himself feeling restless. His nightmares had returned and had grown worse. He did not rest well and he felt worthless. Most of the time he felt nervous. He held up his hand and it quivered slightly. He did not want to tell Jo about all this. He did not want her to feel that he was unhappy with her but he did not know how much longer he could stand doing nothing. Jason Taylor had stayed in New York. He worked in the crime lab now and called often. He had been there to visit for the holidays as well.

Jo came out onto the back porch and put her hand to her forehead to shield her eyes from the hot Alabama sun. Mac saw her spot him and she came over to the swing. "You're sitting out here all alone?" she asked. She looked at Mac a moment as she sat down. "What's wrong?"

Mac looked at her. "Nothing's wrong," he said.

"Mac Taylor, I know when something's wrong with you. Now, tell me what it is. I'm your wife."

Mac frowned and looked down at the ground. "Jo, you know I'm happy with you, don't you?" he asked.

"Of course."

"All this idleness is getting to me."

"What do you mean?"

Mac held up his hand. "I'm nervous, Jo. I feel like I'm…I don't know. You know my nightmares have gotten worse. I feel like I'm trapped here with nothing to do."

Jo was not sure what to say. "Mac, there are lots of things you could do around here. Why didn't you say something before now?"

"Jo, no matter how much money we have, I need to work. I can't stand this idleness."

"I'm telling you, Mac. There is a lot to do around here. Why don't we make a garden?"

Mac looked at her. "A garden?"

"Yes, Mac. You and I could plant a vegetable garden. We can break up that ground out there and make a garden and then we can plant rose bushes. I want to do a lot of things around here. I realize we've been very lazy but it's been a long winter, Mac."

Mac nodded. "You can say that again. I'm so glad it's over, I'm just wanting to do something, and I want all these servants to go away. I want us to take care of our place ourselves."

Jo looked surprised. "What?"

"Jo, I don't like someone else in our house all the time. I want us to have our own home…private home. I want us to cook our own meals and take care of our own farm."

"Mac, we have to have a little help. There's no way we can take care of all this ourselves."

"Oh yes we can, Jo. We are two scientists! We can figure anything out. I want to be the man of this place. I want to feel like I belong here, that I'm accomplishing something."

"You mean you want me to fire everybody?"

"Call it whatever you want. I want them out of here, Jo. Please."

Jo realized that Mac meant every word he said. "Do you know anything about running a farm?" she asked.

"If there's something I don't know, I can learn, Jo. I'm ready to do something."

"You're really serious."

"Do you think I would say all this for nothing? Don't you know anything about a farm? You lived on one for a long time."

"Of course I do but, Mac, it's a lot of hard work."

"Jo, we're used to hard work."

Jo thought about it a moment. "What if we get rid of all the help and then realize we can't do it alone?" she asked.

Mac frowned. "That's not going to happen? We're not stupid."

"Oh, Mac, I know that, but…"

"There are no buts, Jo. Either I'm going to have to run this place and take care of it or I'm going to get a job. I can't just sit around here all the time only being your husband. I want to work."

Jo was not sure she wanted to do that. She did not want to work hard and she was sure Ellie did not want to work on a farm but she wanted Mac to be happy. If he was not happy, she could not very well tell him he could not do it. She looked at him. "Okay, we can try it," she said.

Mac pulled her over to him. "We're not going to try, Jo, we're going to do it," he said.

Jo looked into his eyes and with all the determination she saw there, she thought they would very well do it. "Yes, we are, aren't we?" she asked.

Mac nodded. "Let's get started and prepare to do all the things you wanted to do and more. Tell the other people around here that we won't be needing them anymore."

Jo hated the thought of that. Some of the people had been there a very long time, such as Rosa who worked in the kitchen. Jo hated cooking and she was in no hurry to start doing it. Ellie had always liked cooking but Jo could not bear the thought of standing over a stove cooking something, and waiting for Mac to come home. She had always seen her mother do that…but her mother had always been happy and so had her father. She had never seen them fight. She looked at Mac who was writing on a notebook now. Where had he been hiding that? She had not even seen it when she walked out there.

Jo leaned over to Mac. "What are you writing?" she asked.

"I'm trying to figure out what all we'll need to build a rose bed and a big flower bed," Mac said thoughtfully.

"What do you mean?"

"They'll have to be raised beds or the grass will get in them," Mac said. He looked at her. "That was always my mother's problem when she had a flower bed. The grass always got in."

"Oh." Jo thought maybe Mac knew more about this than she thought. "Do you know how to drive a tractor? Milk a cow?"

Mac looked at her. "I've milked a cow before but I can't say I've driven a tractor."

"And you're going to learn?"

"Surely a country girl like you knows how."

Jo hit him on the shoulder. "Country girl?" she said with her deepest Southern accent.

Mac smiled and started writing again. "We'll need some of those timbers to make the flower beds and make the thing grass proof."

"What about the vegetable garden?"

"Don't worry about that yet. We have to disk up that ground out there and then get all the grass out and then we'll use the turning plow and then the plow it into rows."

Jo was surprised to hear all this from Mac. Mac looked at her. "My grandfather used to do all this," he said. "I remember it. Nothing smells like fresh plowed dirt and you get out there and put your toes in it and it's cool even in the hot summer."

Jo folded her arms. "You've been holding out on me," she said.

"Holding out on you?"

"Yes. I didn't know that you knew all this."

"I've told you about staying on my grandfather's farm before."

"But you didn't say that you wanted to run this farm and that you knew how. Maybe you should let Sam show you how to drive a tractor before he leaves."

"That would probably be a good idea."

"I just want to ask you one thing…"

Mac looked at her. "Go ahead."

"Do you expect me to cook all the meals and wait for you to come home from the field?"

Mac frowned. "Are we going into this?" he asked. "You can do what you want."

Jo found herself wanting to refuse to go along with this idea of Mac's but he had gone along with her idea to live here. He had given up his job and everything to move here and be with her…marry her. She could at least try his way after all that. "Alright, Mac," she said. "I'll go along with you for a while and see what happens."

"We're going to enjoy it, Jo, and we'll be happy. I remember my grandmother being up till Midnight putting away peas and butterbeans and corn and all sorts of things like that. She would pack that deep freeze full and they would have all that to eat during the winter." Mac looked at Jo. "It's going to be great, Jo."

"So, we're going to become farmers and…what?"

"What do you mean? We're going to enjoy life, Jo. We're going to work and live and enjoy what we're working and living for. We're going to be doing it for ourselves…and our family."

Jo still could not be sure this was going to work but she wanted it to work…it sounded so wonderful, she wanted it to work very badly. Happiness? She wondered if hard work like that would make happiness. She thought maybe it would because Mac seemed so sure of it and he was already planning. With his brilliant mind, she was sure he would figure out the whole thing.


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning, Mac was up early, as soon as he heard that rooster crow. He did not wake Jo up but when he got out into the hallway, he could already smell breakfast cooking. He wanted that to stop…he wanted to smell breakfast cooking when he and Jo were cooking it themselves. He went downstairs and Rosa was in the kitchen.

"Morning," Mac said.

Rosa was a little startled. "Morning, Mister Taylor," she replied with a Spanish accent. She had graying black hair and brown eyes, and she had a smiling face.

"Now, Rosa, I've told you time and again to just call me Mac."

"I work for you, and I would rather not use your first name."

Mac sighed. He had been trying for a year to get Rosa to stop calling him Mister Taylor, but she was determined not to listen. "Is breakfast almost done?" he asked.

"Yes. I have plenty for you already. Sit and I will bring it to you."

"Thanks."

Mac sat at the table and Rosa brought him a plate and some coffee. "I have a lot to do today," he said.

"And what is that?"

"Jo and I are going to plant a garden and I am going to go to town to find the right stuff for it."

"You are going to plant the garden yourselves?"

"Yes."

"But you have people to do that for you."

"No. I don't want anyone else to do it for me. I'm going to do it myself."

Mac ate his breakfast and then went out to his Avalanche. He had been thinking about what he wanted to do half the night. He had even gotten up and wrote out a list. He wanted to make the garden in the ground rather than in a raised flower bed. He would buy seeds and plant them, and he wanted tomato plants too. He headed out to the farm equipment store where he was sure he could find everything he wanted.

By the time Jo came down to breakfast, of course, Mac was not there. She looked out the back door and noticed that the Avalanche was gone. "Rosa, where is Mac?" she asked.

"I don't know, Ma'am," Rosa replied as she was putting Jo's breakfast on the table. "He left early. He was talking about planting a garden."

"Oh." Jo sipped her coffee as she thought about what all Mac had said the day before. She had not really taken him seriously but she thought maybe he was very serious about it. She had no desire to get out there and get sweaty working and putting away food. She did not know why Mac wanted to do that. Why could he not just be content with having other people around doing things for him? She knew he liked to work but this was not the kind of work that he was used to doing.

Jo got her phone and called Mac…

Mac was standing in the store when his phone rang. "Hello," he answered.

"Mac, where are you?" Jo asked.

"I'm at the Lawn and Garden center."

"Why?"

"Jo, I talked to you about all this yesterday."

"I didn't really think you were serious."

"Why didn't you?"

"Mac, I don't want to get out and work. I like having people do things for me."

Mac frowned. "Fine," he said. "Then you don't have to help me. I'll do it myself."

"Why? Why can't you just let someone else do this?"

"I don't want to. Just let me do what I want to do, Jo."

"I just don't see any point, Mac."

"I do."

"We'll talk about this when you get home."

"There's nothing else to discuss. I've already told you what I want to do and I'm going to do it."

Jo had never heard Mac so assertive…except when they were in the lab, and she did not like it much either. "Don't expect me to help you," she said.

"I won't."

"I'll see you when you get back."

"Okay."

Jo ended the call and put the phone on the table. She did not like Mac just doing things without talking it out with her first…then again, he had told her what he wanted to do the day before. She could not exactly forbid him to do what he wanted. She would just give him a piece of her mind when he got home.

Mac bought himself a pair of overalls. He smiled at that, but he got two pairs. He had not worn overalls since he was a little boy. He had never wanted to work on a farm when he was in his younger years but he wanted to now, and he had to have all the equipment to do it. He picked up a garden hose, and a shovel, and then he got a hoe and a rake. He was going to buy a trailer as well. He had already talked to the salesman about the trailer and they would have it ready for him by the time he checked out. He also had to get a whole lot of soil for the rose garden and flower bed. He thought he would be here for quite a while. Since there was already a tractor and other equipment at the farm, he did not have to buy all that, but he would get Sam to help him learn to use it properly. He supposed there were shovels and all that at the farm too but he wanted some of his own that he would keep up near the house.

By the time Mac got out of there, he had spent quite a lot of money, but he was going to be prepared to create these flower beds. He had picked out some good rosebushes as well and even petunias to go in that flower bed, and other plants too. The sun was shining and it made him feel happy about what he was about to do.

When Mac got home, Jo was sitting on the swing under the tree. She could not believe all the stuff he had bought. He had the trailer and the truck loaded with stuff. She folded her arms and gave him her most defiant look. "It sure took you a long time," she said.

"I had to pick up a lot of stuff," Mac replied.

"You sure did."

Mac looked at her hearing that tone of aggravation in her voice. "What are you upset about now?" he asked.

"Upset? Is that what I am?" Jo asked.

"You sound like it."

Jo frowned. "I just don't know why you're doing all this."

"Because I want to."

Mac got the bags out of the truck that contained his farming clothes and work boots. He pushed the door closed with his foot and then looked at Jo. "You know, you could be a little more cooperative," he said. "Why do you have to disagree with everything I want to do?"

"I just don't see it necessary. After all, this is my place."

Jo looked at surprised as Mac did by that statement. "I didn't mean that," she said.

Mac nodded. "Oh yes you did," he said. "I guess you're right. Nothing around here belongs to me…except this truck."

"Mac, I didn't mean…"

"Yes, you did." Mac put his bags back in the truck and then got in.

Jo ran over to the truck. "Where are you going!" she demanded.

"To find something that belongs to me!"

Mac let the window up and started backing out. "Mac, don't go!" Jo yelled.

Mac just ignored her and backed out and headed down the road. Jo felt like she could not breathe. He was the best thing that ever happened to her. NO! She would not let him go that easily. She ran into the house and got her car keys and then went after Mac. By the time she got on the road, he was far ahead of her, and it was a curvy road, so she could not see him.

Mac felt hurt but he knew he did not want to lose Jo…or maybe he should never have married her in the first place. After all, she had been divorced before. He rubbed his face and tried not to think things like that. Then he heard someone blowing their horn. He looked in the rearview mirror and saw that it was Jo coming after him. He just kept going. He did not want to talk to her right now. He was afraid he would say something he did not mean.

Just then, his phone started ringing. He picked up the phone and answered it. "What?" he asked.

"Mac, stop that truck," Jo said. "I want to talk to you."

"Stop telling me what to do."

"Okay…will you please stop that truck so we can talk?"

"You know, I'm not one of your children that you can just tell what to do all the time and expect me to bow to all your wishes."

"I know that, Mac. Please, stop so we can talk."

Mac considered that. He was almost to the lake, so he pulled over there and got out under the big Oak tree that was there. Jo pulled up beside Mac's truck and jumped out of the car. She ran over to Mac but he turned away from her before she could hug him. "Mac, don't turn away from me," she said.

"Why not?" Mac asked.

Jo walked around in front of him. "I didn't mean that," she said. "That place is as much yours as mine."

"No it's not. It's yours, and I don't have a place there except in your bedroom."

"That's not true and you know it!"

"Do I? You don't want me to do anything around that place to disturb the way things work! All I wanted to do is make a garden, Jo. What's so bad about that?"

"Nothing! I was wrong, Mac. I'm sorry. Will you just come back to the house? We'll do it together."

Mac walked over to the lake and sat down on the bench. "I don't really feel like it now," he said.

Jo sat down beside him. "I'm sorry. Please forgive me."

Mac nodded, but Jo could see that he was not happy and he was hurt. Why did she have to open her big mouth? "Mac, you must know that I would never want to lose you," she said. "I love you more than anything, and you're the best thing that has ever happened to me."

"I love you too, Jo, but I don't like the way things have been going. I just wanted to change things a little."

"I know. I shouldn't have said anything."

"I feel like you just want me to do what you want and nothing else, just so long as you can keep me in your bedroom."

"No, Mac! You know that's not true."

Mac looked at her. "I want to be in your bedroom, but I want to feel like I belong at that place somewhere besides just there," he said. "Don't you understand that?"

"I do now," Jo replied. She kissed him. "You can do whatever you want, and I'll even have your name added to the deed if you want."

Mac shook his head. "That's not the point, Jo. Just don't order me around and act like I'm not supposed to do anything but what you want."

"I won't ever do it again. I guess I was getting used to having you there only doing things with me. I've been taking you for granted, and your feelings, but I won't do it again."

"Thanks."

Mac looked out across the lake. "I think we should come fishing sometimes," he said.

"We should," Jo agreed. She leaned on Mac's shoulder and put her arms around him. "I love you, Mac."

Mac put his arm around her and hugged her. "I love you too."

"It's quite peaceful out here."

"Yeah, but I want to get busy."

Jo looked at him and smiled. "Then let's go. What did you have in those bags?"

"You'll just have to wait and see."

Jo jumped up with a smile. "No I won't!" She ran for the truck.

Mac got up and went after her. "Jo, wait!" he said and grabbed her around the waist. "I'm going to put those clothes on before you see them."

"Why?"

"Because I want you to see me in them."

"I'll see you in them, out of them…and so on."

"Jo."

Jo smiled. "Okay, if it's that big a secret, go ahead."

"Let's go home."

Mac got in his truck feeling much better. He did not like arguing but he supposed everyone argued sometimes. He was just glad it ended on a good note.

They went back home and Mac took his bags into the house. Jo went over to the trailer and looked at all the stuff Mac had bought. He had bought cross ties to make the raised flower bed and rose bed, and he had even bought gardening tools. She knew now that he was very serious about what he had said because this was more than dreaming. She even saw tomato plants in the truck and seeds. She never knew Mac knew so much about gardening.

Mac got into a blue plaid shirt and a pair of overalls as well as his work boots. He even had a straw hat. He smiled as he put that on. It was more to amuse Jo than for any functionality but it would keep the sun out of his eyes. He walked down the stairs and went outside where Jo was still looking through things in the truck. Jo looked around as he was walking into the gravel driveway. She almost looked back at the truck but then she looked at Mac.

Mac smiled. "Well, what do you think?" he asked.

Jo thought she would absolutely burst with laughter at seeing Mac in a pair of overalls and a straw hat. She could not talk for a moment. "Oh, you look like you're ready to work on a farm," she said wiping a tear from her eye.

Mac chuckled. "I knew this would cheer you up," he said.

"Well, Mac, you can't just start planting a garden. The ground has to be prepared and…"

"Oh, don't worry, Dear, I know all that. You just leave this to me."

Jo stood there and watched him walk out toward the barn, but she did not follow him. She would let him go ahead and do what he wanted to do. She was sure he would succeed.


	3. Chapter 3

Mac went on out to the barn where he found Sam. "Morning, Sam," he said.

"Morning, Mister Taylor," Sam replied. "You need something?" He looked at Mac again as he realized he was dressed in overalls.

"Yes, I need some help."

"Well, that's what I'm here for."

"I need you to teach me how to make a garden."

"Okay. You just tell me where you want it and I'll fix you anything you want."

"No, you don't understand. I don't want you to do it for me…I want you to teach me how. I want to do it myself."

Sam stared at him a moment. "Oh. Okay then. Well, when do you want to start?"

"How about now?"

"Where are you wanting the garden?"

"I'll show you."

They went outside and Mac showed him the area that he wanted to make into a garden. "Well, if you're going to make this into a garden, you're going to have to chop that tree down," Sam said pointing to a fairly large tree standing in the middle of the area.

Mac looked up at the tree and then looked at Sam. "Chop?" he asked.

"Yeah. The chainsaw is in the shop. I'm not good at fixing those little engines like that. So, you'll have to use an ax for now."

Mac looked at the tree again and then nodded. "Okay, where's the ax?"

Sam smiled as he walked to the barn to get the ax. He had just sharpened that ax and it would cut through anything, but he would be doing some labor to remove that tree. He got the ax and a pair of gloves and went back out to Mac. "You better wear these," he said.

Mac put the gloves on and took the ax. They walked over to the tree and Mac looked up at it. "Have you ever used an ax?" Sam asked.

"Sure I have," Mac replied. "I used to have to get firewood when I spent the night with my grandpa."

"Oh. Good."

Mac had to admit he had never cut down a tree like this. He got the ax ready and swung it into the tree. He almost grimaced as it felt like he had swung a bat into a brick wall but the ax did cut into the tree. He pulled the blade out and got ready to swing again. He knew now that he was going to be out here all day cutting down this tree. "Hey, will you get that stuff out of the truck and the trailer and move it to the barn?" he asked.

"Sure," Sam replied. "I can put the trailer in there if you want."

"Great."

Mac did not want Sam standing there watching him. He sighed as he took another swing at the tree. This time some bark fell off. Jo was standing looking out the kitchen window at what Mac was doing. "What are you doing, Mac?" she said to no one in particular. She went on about her business of looking through the cookbook. She could hear that ax hitting the tree. She knew Mac was really going to be tired when he got that done.

The front doorbell rang and the butler, William, went to the door. "Yes?" he said.

"Is Ms. Danville here?" the man at the door asked with a deep, Southern Alabama accent.

"You mean, Mrs. Taylor?"

"Yes, yes, that's who I mean."

"Come in, Sir."

The man went into the house. He held his head in a way that made him look like he thought he was of some importance and he wore a hat as well. He was dressed in a gray suit with one of those ties that one actually ties. "Wait here," William said. "Who shall I say is waiting?"

"Mister James T. Stockwell."

Jo was sitting at the table when William came in. "Ma'am, there's someone here to see you," he said. "He says his name is James Stockwell."

Jo could not remember hearing that name. She went into the living room where Mr. Stockwell was standing and looking at everything. She noticed how he was dressed and thought he was a true Southern Gentleman. She thought maybe she should be dressed in a Southern Belle dress but she was wearing jeans and an old button-down shirt. "Can I help you?" she asked.

Stockwell looked at Jo. "Ms. Danville," he said and shook her hand.

"And you are Mister Stockwell?"

"Yes. I want to talk a little business with you."

"What kind of business?"

"I want to buy your place here."

Jo absorbed that a moment. "You want to buy it? Well, it's not for sale."

"Oh come now, Ms. Danville…"

"Mrs. Taylor, if you don't mind."

"Mrs. Taylor, excuse me. I know that your husband and you are living here and trying to keep this place up. You must be desperate to get back to the big city."

"No, we're not."

Stockwell looked perplexed. "Well, I am willing to pay you more than double what this property is worth," he said.

"Double? Why?"

"Because I want it. We're neighbors, Ms…I mean, Mrs. Taylor. I knew your parents, and I tried to get them to sell to me, but they were stubborn."

"You'll find that I'm quite stubborn myself."

Stockwell cleared his throat. "We've shared the water rights on this property for years, and I want to buy it. I want to clear it and farm cotton on this land. Otherwise it's just a useless piece of land."

"Excuse me," Jo said. "It is not a useless piece of land. It is our home."

"But it could be so much more productive."

"You're wasting your time because I have no intention of selling this property."

"I do hope you'll change your mind."

"Don't hold your breath."

Stockwell stood up straight and Jo thought she saw a slight glare. "I want this property, Ms. Danville," he said. "What would it take to get you to sell?"

"It's Mrs. Taylor, and I don't want to sell it."

"Very well."

Jo showed him out the door. "Have a nice day," she said and closed the door. She wondered what that was all about. Water rights? She had to look into this situation and find out what he was talking about. She went upstairs to get ready.

After about an hour of chopping, Mac stopped to rest. He wiped sweat off his brow and pulled one glove off his hand as he grimaced. Gloves did nothing to stop blisters when one was chopping down a tree. He was wet with sweat but he would not give up. He had cut a little way into the tree. The ax was very sharp so it was making some progress.

Mac started chopping again and then Jo came out there. "Mac!" she called.

Mac looked around and noticed that she was dressed as though she were going to the office. "You going somewhere?" he asked.

"Yes," Jo said. "I have some business to take care of in town. I'll be back."

"Okay."

Jo went over to him to kiss him and realized he was totally drenched in sweat. "You better make sure you drink some water," she said.

"I will, Mother."

"Don't sass me."

Mac smiled and then kissed her. "Be careful."

"I will and don't work too hard."

"I'll try not to."

Jo went to her car and left. Mac started chopping again. He could not remember any business that she had talked about going to town for, but he supposed something must have come up. He thought one could think through a lot of things while they were chopping down a tree. He thought it took shear willpower to cut down a tree like this. If one did not really want to do it, they would give up. He did not know how many times he had thought of waiting for the chainsaw to get back while he was doing this but he was determined.

Jo drove down to the lawyer's office who handled her mother's estate when she died. She walked in and the secretary smiled. "Hi, Mrs. Taylor," she said.

"Hi," Jo replied. "Is Ralph in?"

"He is. Let me tell him you're here."

Jo waited while the secretary went to tell the lawyer that she was there. Ralph Simmons soon came from his office. "Jo," he said and shook her hand. "What can I do for you?"

"Can we talk?"

"Sure."

Jo followed Ralph into his office and they sat down. "Now, what's this about?" Ralph asked.

"A man came to visit me today," Jo said. "James Stockwell. He says he's my neighbor and he was very insistent about me selling my place to him. He says that he shares water rights with us."

Ralph scowled. "Water rights? Excuse me." He left the office and came back after a few minutes with a folder. He sat down at the desk. "I don't have anything about that in this file. I'll have to look into this."

"I want to know if there's something else going on about that property that I don't know about," Jo said. "There must be some other reason that he wants to buy it other than farming cotton. He says he wants to clear it and farm cotton."

Ralph looked in another file that he had. "I have the property lines for that area which your mother had." He laid the map of the plats on the desk so Jo could see it. "Now, here is your property," he said pointing to it on the map. "And there is Stockwell's property."

"He has three hundred acres? What does he need ours for?"

"Good question. I'll find out if there's something strange going on."

"Thank you, and let me know what you find out."

"I will."

Jo left that office and went to her car. She did not notice the car across the street where someone was watching her. She went to the store and picked up a few groceries and then went back home. She could hear Mac still chopping on that tree. She wondered if he would get it down today, but she was not going to tell him to give up. She went into the house and put the groceries away and then took a bottle of water out to Mac. "You thirsty?" she asked.

"Yes," Mac said and drank the whole bottle. He looked at Jo with sweat dripping off his chin and his hair wet. "What?"

"Well, how much longer?" Jo asked. She looked at Mac's progress, which was maybe a third of the way through the tree.

"I don't know," Mac said. "But don't worry, I'm going to get it down. Where did you go?"

Jo looked at him. "A man came here a while ago. His name is James Stockwell."

"Stockwell? I don't know him, do I?"

"No. I don't know him either, but he wants to buy this property."

"Buy it? What did you tell him?"

"I told him it's not for sale. I get the impression that he does not want to take that for an answer."

Mac looked at her. "What do you mean?" he asked. "Did he threaten you?"

Jo could see that protective look in Mac's eyes. "No," she said. "It was just the way he conducted himself. He said something about water rights. I don't know anything about it. And he wants this land to farm cotton."

"Water rights?" Mac wiped sweat off his forehead again and blew out a breath. "I didn't know people still had water rights."

"Me neither. I went to town to talk to Ralph Simmons, the lawyer who handled Mother's estate. He said he would see what he could find out and let me know."

Mac nodded. "Good. Keep me informed too."

"I will." Jo kissed him. "I'm glad you're here."

"Me too."

Mac put his hat back on and picked up the ax. "Now if I can get this tree down…" He looked at Jo. "You want to give it a try?"

"No thanks. I would rather not get wet without taking a shower. I'll see you later."

Jo went back to the house and Mac got back to chopping. He wondered what that was all about that Jo had told him. Water rights? He thought there must be more to it than that. And farming cotton? Mac swung the ax into the tree. He was starting to get used to that feeling, and he thought his arms would be buzzing a long time after he got this done…or they would feel like they were buzzing.

When Noon came, Jo came out on the porch and set the plate of food on the table there, along with the cold lemonade that she had fixed. She went out into the yard and shielded her eyes to look where Mac was chopping away at that tree. "Mac!" she called. "Come and eat lunch!"

Mac stopped and looked around at her. He was ready to quit a while but then again, he thought he might get stiff and sore if he stopped before he got it done. However, he had to eat so he went to the house. "Do I smell like I've been chopping a tree all day?" he asked.

Jo sniffed toward him. "I guess you smell okay," she replied. "But you could use a bath."

Mac took his hat off and dropped it on a chair and then sat down at the table. He sighed heavily and leaned on the table. "I haven't worked this hard in a long time," he said.

"How far have you gotten?" Jo asked.

"Oh, I'm getting close to halfway," Mac said. "That's a big tree when you're trying to chop it down."

"Well, go wash your hands so you can eat."

Mac did not want to take his gloves off and let her see the blisters that had formed and popped. "I'd rather just eat and get busy again before I get too stiff."

Jo gave Mac a sandwich and a glass of lemonade. "Are you working too hard?" she asked.

"No," Mac said and took a bite of the sandwich but then he took a few big gulps of the lemonade. "That's good."

"It was my mother's recipe."

"So, have you found out anything about Mister Stockwell?"

"No. Ralph hasn't called yet. I'm sure he'll call later."

"You've never met Stockwell before?"

"Not that I remember. Mother never mentioned him."

Mac scowled and thought as he ate. He wondered what was going on with that situation. "Maybe there's something around here that we don't know about," he said.

"That's what I thought. Mother never said anything, and there was nothing in the will, none of the workers around here have said anything and I haven't found anything."

"Maybe you haven't looked in the right place yet."

"Like where?"

"Have you gone through the attic and the basement?"

"Well, I went through a few things but there is a lot of stuff in that attic. Maybe I should go up there and look through those old documents while you're out there rubbing your hands raw."

Mac stopped chewing and looked at her. "Do you think I don't know why you didn't want to take those gloves off?" Jo asked. "I may not be working as a detective anymore, but I'm still a detective."

Mac frowned. "I can't hide anything from you," he said.

"And don't try to."

Mac smiled. "Don't worry. I was going to let you see them after I'm done."

"How bad is it?"

"I don't know, just don't worry about it."

"Oh, Mac, you're such a man."

Mac laughed. "I hope so."

When he was done eating, Mac put his hat back on and headed back out to his tree. Jo put the dishes in the kitchen and then went up to the attic. She would take another look at those old papers up there.


	4. Chapter 4

Jo went up into the attic. Everything up there was certainly dusty, but not as dusty as one would think it would be. However, it did not look like anyone had disturbed anything. She felt like she was investigating a crime scene as she went over to the old trunks that were sitting in the attic. She opened the first one and looked inside. She smiled as she saw the old Southern Belle dresses in colors of yellow, orange, blue, green, red, pink. She could remember when she and her sister had gotten into this stuff and dressed up. She remembered her mother taking pictures of them sitting on the front porch. She wondered where those pictures were now, but she thought she might find them if she kept looking.

Jo took the yellow dress and hat out of the trunk and put the hat on and held the dress in front of her as she looked in the full-length mirror. "You can take the Southern Belle out of the South but you can't take the South out of the Southern Belle," she said. That was what her mother had said when she was about to move away to New York. "You were right, Mom." Jo sat down and looked in the mirror. She missed her mom terribly and sometimes she just cried when there was no one else around. She supposed it did not matter how old a person was when they lost a parent…they would still feel lost without them.

Mac was still chopping but he thought the tree was starting to lean. Sam came out there where he was. "I think it's about ready to fall," he said. "A few more chops."

Mac looked at him. "I sure hope so," he said. "How much longer, do you think?"

"Well, you're over halfway through. It should start popping in a little while. When it does, yell 'timber'."

Mac frowned and kept chopping. It was not long until he heard that popping sound and saw that the tree was starting to twist slightly. "Timber!" he yelled and moved away from the tree. He watched as the tree fell over into the field that would soon be a garden. He felt like he wanted to just fall over on the ground but he was too happy it was over.

Sam walked out there. "Now, you have to get rid of the stump," he said.

Mac's mouth dropped open, but he should have thought of that. "How do I do that?" he asked.

"Well, you have to chop it up a little and then chop the roots and dig around it, and then we'll burn it."

"Burn it?"

"Yes. You have to burn it to kill it so that it won't grow back. That's a sweet gum. If you leave anything in there, it will grow back."

"I guess I better get to chopping then, huh?"

Sam nodded. "I can help a little if you want."

"No, I'll do it. Thanks."

"Okay."

Sam walked away back to the barn, and Mac started chopping the stump. He looked at the tree that was now lying on the ground. They would have to cut that tree up too. He would wait for the chainsaw to do that. Once he had a section chopped in the stump, Sam poured gasoline into it and then set the stump on fire.

"We can chop the roots tomorrow," Sam said.

_We, _Mac thought. _What does he mean by 'we'? _He thought he might not be able to chop tomorrow. He knew once he stopped and rested, his hands would get so sore, he would barely be able to move them. He watched the fire burn as the green wood popped and crackled. When the fire died down enough, Mac started digging and chopping around it to get the roots out. It was definitely not an easy job. By the time he stopped, it was dark outside, but he refused to stay out there into the night. He put the ax into the barn and went to the house.

Mac walked into the kitchen and just stood there a moment. "Honey, I'm home," he said.

"Oh, Mac, I have never in my life seen you so dirty," Jo said. "Why don't you go and take a hot bath?"

"I think I will if I can get up the stairs."

"I'll bring our dinner up to the room. Okay?"

Mac nodded. He went to the stairs and looked up dreading climbing those stairs but he went on anyway. When he took those gloves off, he groaned out loud because his hands were raw and bloody. He threw the gloves in the garbage and then got undressed and got into the shower. The water stung his hands as he got under it but the soap soothed them. He washed and got out putting a towel around his waist. He looked in the mirror and thought he would shave if he were not so tired. He got the first aid kit out and bandaged his hands.

By the time Jo got up to the room with their dinners, Mac was asleep in the bed. She just watched him a moment knowing how tired he must have been. He had chopped on that tree all day. She thought maybe he would be too tired to dream tonight but she thought he should have eaten before he went to bed. Then she noticed the bandages on his hands. She shook his shoulder. "Mac, wake up," she said.

Mac grunted and barely moved. "Come on, Mac, wake up," Jo said. "I have our dinners ready."

Mac did not even move that time, but Jo was insistent. She shook his shoulder again. "Come on, I'm not going away," she said.

Mac was almost awake but he did not want to move. In his dream, he thought, _Let her go ahead and try. I'm not getting up. _

Jo finally decided she would have to give up because he was obviously not going to wake up. She examined his hands, but she could not tell much about them with the bandages on there. She could not believe he was wearing a t-shirt and sweats in the bed in this hot weather, but then again, it was not hot in the house.

The next morning, Mac rolled over with a groan as all his muscles did not want to move. His hands did not feel any better for sure. Jo propped up on her elbow and looked at him. "Are you 'sore'?" she asked.

Mac looked at her. "Sore is not the word," he said.

"So, what are you going to do today?"

At the moment, Mac could not imagine getting out of that bed, but he looked out the window and saw that the sun was already up. He closed his eyes and almost fell asleep again but then he looked at Jo. "I don't think I can move my legs," he said.

Jo tried not to laugh. "Do you want me to give you a rubdown?" she asked.

"Would you?"

"Can you roll over on your stomach?"

Mac tried not to smile as he could see that Jo was straining not to. He supposed it was funny…a man who had never worked like that getting out there and chopping down a tree. "No," he said and could not keep from laughing. "I think I may never move again."

Jo laughed then. "I can't believe you did that," she said. "You should have known you would be like this."

"I think everything hurts."

"You used muscles you didn't know you had?"

"I don't know about that, but I think I didn't know I could use them."

Mac rolled over onto his stomach with a loud groan. "Oh, I think this kind of work is going to make me a muscle man," he said.

"If you want to be a muscle man, you can always go to the gym," Jo replied.

"No, I would rather do this. I'm accomplishing something."

Jo started rubbing his back and then kissed his back. "Don't start that," Mac said. "I know I can't move like that."

"Oh shut up," Jo said. "You're such an animal."

"Not today."

Mac lay there and thought about what he wanted to do today. He had to get himself up from here and get out there. He certainly did not want to let himself lose a day of work just because he was sore. "I want to finish getting that stump out of there today," he said.

"What?" Jo asked. "You can barely move."

"So? I'll work out the soreness."

"By killing yourself?"

Mac turned over and sat up, not without a grimace. "Jo, I'm enjoying this," he said. "Don't worry about me. It's not going to kill me."

"Oh, don't worry. I'm not going to stand in your way." Jo put her arms around his neck. "I do wish you had a little time for me though."

Mac smiled and pulled her close to him. "I always have time for you."

They shared a long kiss. "You need a shave," Jo said.

"I didn't feel like shaving last night," Mac replied.

Jo kissed him again and gave him a seductive look. "I have to get out of this bed," Mac said and started to get up but Jo grabbed him around the waist.

"You're not going anywhere!" Jo said. She pushed him down on the bed and leaned over him. "I want you. If you can go out there and work on that tree stump, you can have some hot, steamy sex first."

"I guess you're right." Mac grabbed her in a tight embrace and rolled over on top.

"Well, you sure got over that fast."

"Once you start moving, the soreness kinda cures itself."

"I'm glad."

Mac smiled at her. "Thanks for letting me do what I want," he said.

"I guess we have to have a little argument sometimes so we can make up."

"Are we making up?"

"I need to."

"It might be fun."

"Oh, I know it's going to be fun. Now stop talking and get at it."

Mac did not get out of the house until around 9 am. He was wearing his clean pair of overalls. The others were totally dirty. He had wanted to get started earlier than this but he could not complain about the reasons he did not get started earlier. He went on out to his tree stump which was still firmly in the ground. He had a lot of work to do. He went to the barn where Sam was already working.

"Morning," Sam said. "I figured you wouldn't be out here today."

"Why's that?" Mac asked.

"Oh, that was a pretty hard job you took on yesterday."

"It sure was." Mac flexed his hands. "But I guess I'll have to build up a few calluses."

"You gonna finish that stump today?"

"I'm gonna try."

"Let me know if you need any help."

"Right." Mac got the ax and a shovel and went out to the stump. He put on a pair of heavy duty gloves, hoping they would save his hands from anymore pain. He knew this was not going to feel good when he got started because his hands were like two big sores but he had them bandaged and hoped that would protect them more than just the gloves.

As Mac started chopping, he saw a Cadillac car come into the driveway. He thought it looked like someone went to great pains to keep it sparkling and new looking. A man got out of the car dressed in a suit and then opened the back door to let another man out. This man was tall and carried himself with much dignity. Mac wondered if this was James Stockwell. He laid the ax down and went around where the car was before the man could go to the door.

"Morning," Mac said.

The man looked at Mac, and noticed with disdain how he was dressed. Mac walked over to him and offered his hand with the glove on, which he knew the man would not want to shake his hand like that. "Good morning, Sir," the man replied.

"Who might you be?" Mac asked.

"I'm James T. Stockwell…and who might you be?"

"I'm Mac L. Taylor. Weren't you here yesterday?"

The man stared at Mac a moment. "I was. I talked to Ms. Danville about this place here."

"Well, Mrs. Taylor, I believe, told you that she doesn't want to sell it, so what are you doing back here today?"

Mac could see he had touched a nerve. This man was not used to be confronted by someone whom he saw a "beneath" him. "I just thought we could talk some more about it," Stockwell said.

"Why don't you just talk to me then?" Mac asked. "I'd like to know what you're going to say that you think is different than yesterday and I'd also like to know why you're so interested in this land."

"You're not the owner of this property, are you?"

"No, but my wife is, and her problems are my problems."

Stockwell looked into those green eyes of Mac's and he knew this man was not intimidated by him whatsoever. "I'd still like to see your wife," he said.

"Like I said, you saw her yesterday. You can talk to me today."

Stockwell stood up straight as though he thought that would intimidate Mac. Mac almost smiled. He had spent most of his life looking up at people, and it did not bother him one bit. "Do you know who I am?" Stockwell asked.

"Well, you're James T. Stockwell," Mac answered. "Is that supposed to mean something?"

Stockwell was taken aback by that statement. "I am one of the richest men in this county and I usually get what I want," he said.

Mac took a step closer to the man. "You won't this time," he informed him. "You come around here threatening my wife, and I'm going to get involved."

"You really don't know who you're dealing with, Mister Taylor."

"You don't know who you're dealing with either, Mister Stockwell."

Stockwell straightened his suit jacket. "Well, I can see that we're getting nowhere, but I will warn you that I have a lot of connections around here," he said.

"So? I have a lot of connections too, and I don't like being pushed. I push back…real hard."

Mac thought Stockwell's face turned a shade redder, and he could see the anger in the man's eyes. He was not used to someone defying him. "We'll talk again…Taylor," Stockwell said, saying the name with disgust.

"I'm sure we will…Stockwell."

Stockwell went back to his car and the driver opened the door. Mac stood there and watched them leave, seeing the hate in Stockwell's eyes as he went by. He would have to find out what that man wanted with this property. He knew it must be more than something about growing cotton or water. He had seen too many situations to think it was that simple.

Mac went back out to his tree wondering if Jo knew anything, but she had said she did not know anything that anyone would want with the property but that she would go through the old trunks in the attic. Mac thought it was very important that she did that now…maybe critical.


	5. Chapter 5

Jo was in the attic again. She had not found anything the day before but today, she would look further. She opened all the curtains in the attic to let some sun in. She thought maybe she should open the windows and air the place out, but the windows would not come up…they were painted shut. As she was looking through things, she had seen that Cadillac drive up out there and she had seen Mac have an exchange with James Stockwell. She wanted to know what that was about and what was said. She was almost sure that there was something that man was wanting other than just the land.

Mac began chopping the tree roots again and he dug around the stump until it was rocking back and forth when he pushed and pulled on it. It was stubborn though. He knew he would have to fight to the end to get that stump out of there. He did not know how far out those roots went. Some of them ran along the ground but not all. There was always that long tap root that was the hardest to get out. When he had cut a few roots, he began pulling some of them out of the ground and was surprised at how far across the ground the spread, but they just came out as he pulled them because the ground was not so hard right now.

Jo kept looking through the old trunks and boxes in the attic. Inside one of the old trunks, there was a box that looked like a jewelry box. It was red and had a mirror on top and had little jewels on it with gold threading. Jo picked the box up and stroked the velvety material. It was very soft and a beautiful box. She opened the lid and it played music…Somewhere Over The Rainbow. There was old jewelry in the box that Jo had not seen in a very long time. She remembered that her mother had not worn jewelry anymore in the last part of her life. She found a ruby ring in the box. It definitely needed to be cleaned but it was no less beautiful than it had ever been. She slid it on her finger and it fit. She would get that ring cleaned and wear it. She had always wondered if that was a real ruby in that ring, and it had two diamonds in the ring too. Could her mother have owned something so extravagant as a real ring like that? She looked through the other jewelry and found some other rings and earrings, as well as necklaces. Jo had always loved jewelry and she would cherish this jewelry. She wondered if any of it had belonged to her grandmother.

Jo knew there was nothing in the music box that anyone would be after, so she went on to the next box in the trunk. This box was blue and was bigger than the jewelry box. She opened it and it was full of papers and envelopes like the ones that marriage licenses come in. She thought she should take this downstairs and look through it in better light. She set it down and kept going through the trunks and found another box that was similar to the blue one but it was green. She took those two boxes and the jewelry box and went down to the kitchen table. The sun was shining in and she thought the ring looked even more beautiful with the sun shining on it. She thought maybe she would find something in this document box.

Just as Jo was about to begin her search, the phone rang. "Hello," she answered.

"Jo, this is Ralph."

"Ralph, did you find anything?"

"Not a thing, Jo. I don't see anything that has any agreement with Mister Stockwell. I don't think people even share water rights anymore. There are too many ways to get their own."

"That's what I thought, but what about him wanting to grow cotton on this land?"

"I'm not sure about that either, Jo. I'm not sure that land would be suitable for cotton. Are you sure you don't know of anything that they would be after?"

"I don't have a clue, Ralph."

"I'll keep searching but whatever it is, I don't think it has anything to do with cotton or water, and I also think maybe this man knew your father somewhere down the line. Have you ever heard of the man?"

"No," Jo said. "I don't remember ever seeing that man. Maybe it was when I was too young to remember."

"Could be."

"I'm searching through some documents here. I'll let you know if I find anything."

"I'll do the same, Jo."

Jo hung up the phone and sat down to get back to her search. She opened the blue box and took out the first document envelope. She smiled as she saw that this envelope contained her parents' marriage license. She could tell that it was very old and was yellowed around the edges. She folded it back and put it in the envelope and then went on to the next thing which was the deed to the land and house, and even the map of the plats. She wanted to inspect those property lines to make sure no one was moving the stakes.

Mac finally got the stump turned over to one side and then he had to get the last roots chopped in two. It did not take long for that and then he had the stump out of the hole…and it was a big hole. It would definitely have to be filled in before they could plant anything here. Mac sat down on the ground and looked at the hole and the stump. It had been hard work, but he had enjoyed it. It had definitely gotten his mind off being idle all the time and he did not dream last night. He supposed he had been too tired to dream.

Sam came out to where Mac was. "So, you finally got it out, huh?" he said.

"Yeah," Mac replied. "Now is the chainsaw ready?"

"No. The guy had to order some parts for it."

"Then I'm gonna have to go and buy a new one. It won't hurt to have more than one. I want this tree cut up and I can't do that with an ax."

"I agree. It will definitely take a chainsaw."

Mac stood up and dusted his hands and clothes to get some of the dust and dirt off. "I'll be back later," he said. "This wood will make good firewood."

Mac went up to the house and went in to let Jo know where he was going. "Jo, I'm going into town," he said. "I have to get a new chainsaw."

"I'm going through documents," Jo said.

"You found anything?"

"Not yet, but I did find some pretty jewelry that my mother had." Jo showed Mac the ruby ring. "You like it?"

"Beautiful," Mac said.

Jo looked at him. "You had a talk with Stockwell?"

"I did," Mac said. "I let him know that he was not going to come around here trying to intimidate anyone."

"I'll just bet he got the message too."

"I hope so."

"I just hope we can find out what's going on."

"Me too. You watch it around here while I'm gone."

Jo was surprised by that. She wondered what Mac thought was going to happen. "You hurry back," she said.

"I will," Mac replied.

Mac went out to his Avalanche and went down to the farm equipment store. They had several different chainsaws there and Mac had to wonder which he should choose. It did not take long for him to choose one. He bought that and headed back home. He thought he could make a big wood pile with that tree and it might last them all winter. He got to the house and went back out to his tree. "I got the chainsaw," he said to Sam who was out by the barn.

Sam came over there. "You know how to use it?" he asked.

"Well, I think so but you might ought to give me a little lesson before I get started," Mac said.

Sam showed Mac how to use the chainsaw and he got busy cutting up the tree and the stump too. Mac thought he wished he had that chainsaw when he was chopping that tree down. It would have sure saved him a lot of pain. He could not get it all done before lunch, so he took a lunch break and went inside.

"Oh, Mac, must you come in all sweaty and dirty every day?" Jo asked.

"I guess I do until I get this done," Mac said. "You find anything?"

"Mac, I am so confused right now."

Mac sat down at the table. "About what?" he asked.

"I have found two papers here that I don't understand," Jo said.

Mac took his hat off and laid it on the table. "I think I'll keep the gloves on," he said.

"Don't you need them to be re-wrapped?"

"Probably."

"I'll get the gauze and everything while you look at that."

Mac looked at the paper that Jo had given him. He wiped his forehead with his bandana as he was reading. The paper was about gold that had been buried on the land, and that Jo's father, Joseph Danville, was the rightful owner of it if it was found, but that whoever might find it would be the owner.

Jo came back down the stairs and she could see the confused and surprised look on Mac's face as he looked at her. "You too, huh?" she asked.

"Me too what?" Mac asked.

"You're stunned beyond words?"

"Where did this come from?"

"It was in this box," Jo said indicating the green box she had found in the attic. "There are all sorts of papers in there and in this blue box."

"Papers about stuff like this?"

"Not exactly."

"What do you mean, not exactly?"

Jo pulled the glove off Mac's hand as he grimaced. "You could stop this for a day and let your hands heal," she said.

"Why?" Mac asked. "They're not going to heal in a day."

As Jo re-wrapped Mac's hands, she told him about the other papers that she had found. "It seems that this land used to be owned by a very wealthy man, Lester Torville," she said. "Not only did he own this land, but he owned the land that Mister Stockwell owns and several more hundred acres too." Jo looked at Mac. "It's been said that he buried money and gold all over this land, but that where we live was the biggest money box anyone has ever seen."

Mac frowned. "You mean you didn't know about any of this?" he asked.

"Not a thing, and my mother never mentioned it. How does this James Stockwell know about it?"

"Maybe the same way you do…by chance."

"Do you really think there's gold and stuff buried out there?"

Mac shook his head. "I don't know, Jo. Maybe it's just a legend."

"Then why are there papers on it?"

Mac had to admit that was strange. "Well, there's one thing for sure…there was no gold or money buried out there under that sweet gum tree."

"Mac, be serious," Jo said.

"I'm serious. I didn't find anything. And you know what? Even if there was money buried out there, how do you know he didn't dig it up?"

"Because of this."

Mac took the paper that Jo was giving him. "A letter to your father?" He read the letter that explained to Joseph Danville that there was a map to the areas where the money and gold were buried."

"So, where's the map?"

"There's no map in this box, Mac. I looked."

"Then I guess it must be somewhere else around here."

"But where?"

"I wouldn't know. Was there any place that your father talked to you about when you were a child?"

"Oh, I don't know, Mac. I'll have to think."

"Okay, well, just don't get too upset about this. Let's have lunch. I'm starving."

"I have something fixed…or at least, Rosa does. I'll get us some of it."

"Thanks."

Jo finished bandaging Mac's hands and then went to get them a bowl of the soup that Rosa had made. "That sure does smell good," Mac said as Jo set the bowls on the table.

As they ate, Jo thought back to her childhood when her father was around. She remembered going fishing with her father down at the lake and she remembered going hunting with him even. "I just don't remember," she said.

"Maybe it will come to you later," Mac replied. "Sometimes if you start thinking about something, another memory will come to you."

"I know. I just hope I can remember something that will help us figure out what's going on here."

Mac finished eating and put his gloves back on. "Well, here I go again. I should have this done by this evening," he said.

"I hope so. Maybe you can start planting tomorrow."

Mac kissed her. "Don't worry too much," he said. "That guy can't get this land without you selling it to him."

"I know."

Mac went on outside and started chopping and cutting wood again. He thought he was starting to like this hard work. Although it made him tired, it made him feel stronger too. By that evening, Mac finally chopped the last piece of firewood. He wiped sweat off his forehead and threw the pieces of wood over onto the pile. He threw the worthless pieces of wood out into the brush pile and then headed for the barn. It was dark now as the sun was sinking below the horizon. Mac looked up and could see a few stars already. He realized he never took the time to look at the stars, and he had not had much opportunity for that in New York.

Mac went out to the barn and hung the ax up and put the chainsaw up as well. Sam was already gone for the day so Mac would have to close up the barn himself. He liked the idea of that…he would do it himself. He closed two of the barn doors and then headed for the other two. Before he got to the other doors, two men walked in. Mac stopped and looked at them. One of them had a revolver in his hand. "What is this?" Mac asked.

"Where is it?" the one with the revolver asked.

"Where is what?"

They walked over to Mac and the man put the barrel of the gun under Mac's chin while the other grabbed Mac's arms. "You know what we're talking about," the man with the gun said. Mac could not see his face because he had a bandana around his face and had a hat on.

"I do not know what you're talking about!" Mac said.

"I don't think he's going to cooperate," the man who was holding Mac's arms said.

"Why don't you tell me what you're wanting?"

Just then, Mac heard Jo call, "Mac!"

The man pushed the gun harder against Mac's chin. "Tell her you're busy," he said.

Mac glared at him. "Tell her!" the man said. "Or we'll just kill you and go after her."

Mac swallowed hard. "I'll be in in a few minutes, Jo!" he called.

"Well hurry up!" Jo said. "Supper is ready and Ellie is ready to eat!"

"Go ahead and start without me! I'll be in soon!"

"Okay!"

Mac did not know how he would get out of this situation. He had no idea what they were talking about but they thought he did. "Now, tell us where it is," the man with the gun said as they were holding Mac against the wall.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Mac said.

"You've been living here over a year, and you must have found it by now."

"Found what!"

The guy with the gun nodded to the other man, and he hit Mac in the stomach. Mac bent double although he tried not to. They shoved him back up against the wall. "Now, where is it?" the man asked.

"Don't you think you should tell me what you're talking about?" Mac asked.

"Okay. If you want to play like that…the map. Where is the map?"

"What map?"

Suddenly, the man hit Mac with the gun, knocking him out. "Move him outside," he said.

"What are you going to do?" the other man asked.

"Just get him out of here."

The man dragged Mac out behind the barn and dropped him among some bushes. He went back into the barn where the other man was pouring gas on the hay in the barn. "Let's see what their answer is after this," he said.

"Hey, he didn't say anything about burning anything down or hurting them."

"We've already hurt him. I think this will get their attention."

"He's not going to like this. He doesn't want to go to jail…he just wants the land."

"Shut up."

The man walked to the back doors of the barn and threw a match into the gas which blazed up immediately. "Let's go!" he said and he and his partner ran back to their car to get away.

Jo and Ellie were sitting at the table eating when Jo thought she saw a flickering outside and thought there was an orange glow out there. "What is that?" she asked.

Ellie looked toward the window. "Mom! The barn is on fire!"

Jo jumped up from the table. "Where is Mac!"

They ran outside and Jo did not know what to do except call 911, so that is what she did, and then she ran toward the barn. "Mac!" she yelled. "Mac!"

"Mom, you can't go in there!" Ellie said as Jo was running toward the barn. "Mom!"

Jo was only thinking of Mac as she ran toward that barn. He could not be in there. "Mac!" she screamed. She ran to the doors of the barn and could not see inside because of the flames of the fire. "Mac!"

Ellie ran over to Jo. "You can't get in there!" she yelled at Jo.

"Mac may be in there!" Jo yelled with tears in her eyes. "Mac!"

Soon, they heard sirens. Jo watched the barn burning and knew that if Mac was in there, there was no hope that he was alive. The horses had gotten out somehow because they were standing in the back yard.

The fire fighters soon arrived and Jo ran over to them and the sheriff. "My husband may be in there!" Jo yelled.

The sheriff looked toward the barn. He knew if anyone was in there, they were dead. "How did this happen?" he asked.

"I don't know. We were sitting at the dining table and looked out and saw the barn on fire. Mac just can't be in there!"

"Mac is your husband?"

"Yes! Mac Taylor!"

"Ma'am, you need to get back so they can do their job."

"I used to be a detective, I've worked for the FBI and the Marshalls! Don't try to tell me anything!"

"Well, if you're that experienced, you should know that you have to stay back!"

Jo stared at him a moment and realized she was acting hysterical, but she could not help it. She started to cry then and walked toward the house. Ellie put her arms around her. "Mom…" She did not know what to say. She had never seen her mother so happy as she had been when she and Mac got together and especially after they got married. Mac treated her like his own daughter too. Jo grabbed Ellie and just sobbed on her shoulder. They just sat down in the yard and waited to see what would happen.


	6. Chapter 6

As the firefighters got the fire under control, they began to look around the area because they had not seen anyone in the barn. Finally, one of them found Mac out behind the barn in a cluster of bushes. He was wet now from the water that had been sprayed on the barn and the surrounding area. "Hey, I've got somebody over here!" the fireman yelled.

There was an EMT there on the scene. He ran around there to see about Mac. "Well, he must not have been in the barn when it started burning," he said. "He doesn't have any burns."

"Looks like he's been hit," the fireman said as he pointed to Mac's face.

"Sure does."

The sheriff came around there next. "Is he alright?" he asked.

"Not alright," the EMT said. "But I think he will be alright later. Looks like someone clobbered him."

"What happened out here?"

"I guess no one can tell us except him."

The sheriff looked toward the barn. "It 'did' smell like gasoline," he said. "Someone must have burned down this barn."

"Well, they probably stored gas in there anyway," the fireman said.

"I'll talk to the woman up here and let her know her husband is here." The sheriff walked back around the barn and found Jo still sitting in the yard. "Ma'am, we found your husband."

Jo stood up. "What! Where is he?"

"He's over there behind the barn. He's okay except he's been knocked out."

Jo ran around the barn and fell beside Mac. She was so glad to see him breathing, she was sobbing with happiness now. "Is he going to be alright?" she asked.

"I think so, Ma'am," the EMT said. "He's going to have a sore face for a while but I don't see anything else." He held smelling salts under Mac's nose to try and wake him up.

Mac moved his head slightly and coughed. Then he coughed even harder as he was waking up. Jo grabbed him to hug him as he was still coughing. "Mac!" Jo said.

The EMT put an oxygen mask on Mac. "He probably has some smoke inhalation from this fire," he said.

Another EMT arrived with a stretcher to get Mac. They put Mac onto the stretcher and got him to the ambulance. Ellie was there with Jo. "You go ahead, Mom," Ellie said. "I'll bring the car to the hospital."

Jo nodded. "Don't forget your license," he said.

"I won't. Don't worry."

Jo got into the ambulance and they headed to the hospital with Mac. Once there, Mac was taken into an ER room. He was still unconscious but x-rays showed that he did not have any fractures. Jo sat in the room waiting for him to wake up. She thought her nerves were still shaking with the thought of Mac being dead. She looked at him and thought of how much she loved and needed him. She could not believe she had thought that she would never want to be married again. She supposed the right person made the whole difference.

After about an hour, Mac started moving. He felt like his head was very big, especially his eye. Jo leaned over him. "Mac," she whispered.

Mac opened his eyes but he found that his left eye did not want to open all the way. "What happened?" he asked.

"I was hoping you could tell us."

Mac rubbed his head and thought. "I don't know," he said. "I was…" He touched his face. "Somebody hit me?"

"Don't you remember?"

Mac took a deep breath and tried to sit up. "You need to lie down, Mac," Jo said.

"I feel sick," Mac said. He lay back down and closed his eyes. "My head hurts."

"Someone hit you with something. Don't you remember?"

Mac thought. "I remember…I don't know what I remember."

"You were cutting up the tree. Did you finish it?"

Mac scowled as he thought. "Yeah, I finished it and…I went to the barn and…"

"You put the ax away?" Jo asked, trying to coax his memory.

Mac nodded. "Yes, I put the ax away and the chainsaw and…" Mac opened his eyes and looked at Jo. "There was somebody there in the barn."

"Who was it?"

"I don't know. They had something over their faces. They were asking me for a map. They said that I knew where it was. I didn't know what they were talking about."

"A map?"

"Yes. They…" Mac grimaced as his head hurt. "They said there was some sort of map that showed where gold or something is buried." He looked at Jo. "You think there really is some sort of treasure buried on that land?"

"I don't know, Mac, but somebody sure thinks there is."

"A map? Did you find one?"

"No. I have not found anything like that. If it's there, it must be hidden somewhere."

"But where?"

Jo shook her head. "I have no idea, Mac."

Mac sighed. "Why does something like this have to happen now?"

"They must have been watching us and saw you buying all that equipment and thought we came into some money," Jo suggested.

"Well, do you think it is that James Stockwell?"

"I don't know, Mac, but they burned our barn down."

Mac frowned. "What?"

"They burned the barn down. When I first saw it, I thought…"

Mac wiped a tear off her face. "You thought I was in there," he said.

Jo could see anger on Mac's face. "I can't tell you how I felt at that moment, Mac. If Ellie hadn't stopped me, I…"

Mac sat up. "I want out of here," he said.

"What do you think you're going to do?"

Mac looked at her. "I'm going to do plenty."

Jo could see that look on Mac's face that he always got when someone was going around his city killing people. "Mac, you're not a cop anymore," she said. "You're not the head of the crime lab now. You have to let the law handle it."

"Oh don't worry. I'm going to follow the law. I have a right to confront somebody about burning down my barn and threatening my wife!"

"Mac, you cannot do that!"

"Watch me."

Mac sat up on the side of the bed. He closed his eyes and held his head as pain went through it. "Mac, you could hurt yourself," Jo said. "Stay here until the doctor says you can go."

"I'm not staying in this hospital all night over something like this," Mac declared. "That guy hit me with a gun, and that other one…" Mac stood up slowly.

"Mac, wait and tell the sheriff what happened," Jo said.

"I'll tell him, after I go and give somebody a piece of my mind."

"You can't do that!"

Mac looked at her. "Why not?"

"Because you're not the law anymore."

"Well, I'm about to become a vigilante then."

"I won't let you."

Mac shook his head and stood up slowly. "I'd like to know just how you're going to stop me," he said.

Jo thought about that a moment. She figured there was no way to stop him if he was determined to do something. "Getting yourself killed is not going to help us," she said.

"I'm not going to get myself killed," Mac replied.

"Getting out of this bed too soon is enough to hurt you."

"Jo, I've been hit on the head by a gun before. I'm still here." Mac took a step and he felt incredibly nauseous. He felt like the room was moving.

"Mac, get back in that bed!" Jo demanded. "You can't go like this. Just wait."

Mac looked at her and he thought maybe she was right. "Mac!" Jo yelled as she grabbed Mac to keep him from falling. She could not get him back on the bed so she had to let him down to the floor. He was not unconscious. Jo looked into his green eyes. "You are such a stubborn man."

"Well, my mother said I was a stubborn kid so…I guess I never grew out of it," Mac said.

"Can you get up?"

Mac shook his head with his eyes closed. Jo reached for the remote to call the nurse. She barely reached the button. They soon came in and got Mac back into the bed. "He tried to get up," Jo said.

"He doesn't need to do that again," the doctor said. "If he fell and hit his head now…it wouldn't be good and could be fatal. Keep him in that bed."

"I'll try."

When Mac woke up again, it was the next morning. He realized he was wearing a hospital gown instead of his clothes he had been wearing. Jo was asleep on the cot in the room. Mac remembered what had happened the night before, and his face and head remembered too. His face seemed to be even sorer this morning than the night before. Then he heard thunder. It was raining.

Jo moved on the cot and took a deep breath. "Jo," Mac said.

Jo opened her eyes. She got up and went over to the bed. "How do you feel this morning?" she asked.

"Sore. What happened? I mean…I know what happened but…"

"Everything is okay, Mac."

"No it's not. Did you say they burned the barn down?"

"Yes."

Mac thought about that. "My truck and…"

Jo swallowed hard. "There was no way to get anything out, Mac. It was totally engulfed when Ellie and I got outside."

Mac sat up but he did not feel dizzy this morning. "That was everything I had," he said.

"What do you mean? You have me and the house and…"

Mac frowned. "All that stuff I bought."

"Mac, all that can be replaced, but you can't."

"I know that but I lost all that that I bought yesterday, even the trailer, the chainsaw."

Jo frowned. She knew how Mac had been looking forward to working that garden and now it had all been destroyed. "We'll fix it, Mac," she said. "We can rebuild the barn and we can get all that stuff back."

Mac knew she was right but that did not make him feel any better. He could not imagine how long it would be before he could get the insurance to buy him another truck. It was all a big mess…and more than that, it was a crime and that would have to be solved before he could even get anything.

Mac got out of bed. "Now, what are you doing?" Jo asked.

"I'm getting out of here," Mac replied.

"Can't you wait for the doctor to release you?"

"No. That could take all day."

Mac got dressed and then they went out into the hallway. A nurse was there. "Where are you going?" she asked.

"Home," Mac said.

"I'm sorry," Jo said as they were walking by the nurse. "He's stubborn."

Mac left the hospital and went out to Jo's car. "I want the keys," he said.

Jo started to argue but she gave him the keys. Mac pulled out of the parking garage into the pouring rain. He drove home and stopped in the driveway as he saw the remains of the barn, his truck and the trailer that he had just bought the day before. "Get out of the car," he said.

"Where are you going?" Jo asked.

Mac looked at her. "Just get out."

"Mac…" Jo could see that Mac was in no mood to argue. "Will you at least be careful?"

"I will. Just get out of the car."

Jo kissed him and then got out. She watched him leave knowing that he must be going to confront James Stockwell. She went into the house. She would have to look through more papers and things to see if she had overlooked anything. There had been no map in those papers she looked at. They had been looking for a map. She locked the doors and made sure the windows were locked before she went up to the attic. She certainly did not want anyone coming into the house while she was up there alone.

Mac drove over to James Stockwell's mansion. It was a large brick house and was well groomed on the outside. There was a long driveway that went out to the house which was hidden from the road by trees and forest. He had checked for Stockwell's address before…because he knew he would probably need it eventually.

Mac pulled up to the house and stopped. He took the bandage from around his head before he got out of the car and then went up to the door. He pushed the doorbell button, and he could hear it sounding throughout the house. After only a moment, the door opened and there was a maid there. "May I help you?" she asked.

"I want to see James Stockwell," Mac said.

"May I say who is calling?"

"Mac Taylor. I think he'll remember me."

"Come inside, sir."

Mac went inside. "You can sit here to wait," the maid said.

Mac sat on the bench in the foyer. He hated waiting like this as though he were an intruder. However, he did not have to wait long. Soon, James Stockwell came into the living room. "Mister Taylor," he said in his booming voice. "What brings you here?"

Mac walked over to him with a glare on his face. "You had two men come to my house last night and attack me and burn my barn down, and they were looking for some map!" he said.

"Are you kidding?"

"No, I'm not! You're gonna pay for that barn and my truck and everything else that was in that barn. You're just lucky that I wasn't in there!"

Stockwell glared at Mac. "You're accusing me of committing such a ridiculous crime?" he asked. "I have much better things to do than to harass such an insect as you!"

"Well, I may be an insect, but you know what they say about gnats. They're always in your face and they're around when you don't even know it."

"Get out of my house!"

"I'll get out, but you can rest assured that you're going to see me again, Mister Stockwell. And whatever you're looking for in a map, you can forget it!"

"We'll see about that, Mister Taylor."

"Yeah, we will."

Mac turned and went back outside. He knew that man had something to do with what happened the night before. He got in the car and went back home. The rain was just about stopped now so he got out and just stood there looking at the burned down barn with crime scene tape around it. He went on into the house, having to unlock it to get in. "Jo, I'm home," he said but did not get an answer. "Jo!"

Mac went on into the house and went upstairs. "Jo!" Then he noticed that the attic door was open so he went up there. "Jo."

Jo was startled a moment. "Mac, I didn't know you were back," she said.

Mac went over to her and looked at all the stuff sitting around her with trucks of old dresses and papers, hats, and all sorts of clothes and other items. "You found anything yet?" he asked as he picked up one of the Southern Belle dresses.

"I haven't found a map," Jo said. "But I think I know a whole lot about my parents' courtship and love letters."

Mac smiled. "I found letters between my parents after they were gone too," he said. "All the letters he had sent her and all the letters she sent him while he was away at the war, and what they planned to do when he got back."

"I'll bet you were a result of that too."

"I bet I was."

"They were so in love," Jo said as she looked at the stack of letters. "He wrote to her almost every day. He was in the war too."

"It's a shame that people don't know so much about love anymore."

"But we do."

"I'm trying to know more."

"Where did you go?" Jo asked.

"I went to see James Stockwell," Mac said with his voice sounding aggravated again.

"I knew that's what you were doing. What happened? Should I expect the sheriff over here?"

"No. I told him that I knew he was involved in that last night."

"How do we prove it, Mac? He's a millionaire and has connections in this county and in the town."

"Oh yes, he let me know that I was an insect."

Jo frowned. "He called you that?"

"Yeah, but I let him know I didn't mind being a gnat."

Jo almost laughed. "Mac Taylor."

"You know, gnats are little pests and you can't hardly get rid of them."

"And don't you just love it when they get in a little wad in the middle of the air and you accidentally walk through it."

Mac held up the dress that he had picked up. "Why don't you try this on?" he asked.

"Me?" Jo asked. "Why?"

"You're a woman, aren't you? I'd like to see you in it."

"Maybe I should put that on and sit on the front porch with a fan while the traffic goes by."

Mac laughed. "Seriously, I'd like to see you in this pretty, yellow, and lacy dress."

Jo stood up and took the dress. "You're the only man I would ever wear this for," she said and kissed him. "How do you know I can fit in it? I'm not as slim as I was before I had my son."

"I think you can manage it."

Jo started undressing. "You're going to just change into it here in front of me?" Mac asked.

"Well, you've seen me naked before," Jo said.

"I sure have and you know what happens when I do."

"Oh shut up, you animal. Why don't you look through some more of those papers while I'm doing this?"

Mac went over to the largest trunk and began looking through the old picture albums that were in there. He knew that people had always kept important things in picture albums, and there was also a big family Bible in that trunk. He had seen many things that his grandmother kept in a family Bible. He took the Bible out and could see that there were things stuck between the pages. He opened it to the first gap where some sort of paper was. That turned out to be a birth certificate for someone whom Mac did not know. He put it back and went on to the next paper. He opened that paper and found that it was a draft summons for Jo's father.

"Well, button this," Jo said as she came over to him in the yellow dress.

Mac looked at her and smiled. "What?" Jo asked.

"You look beautiful," Mac said. He stood up and buttoned the dress which seemed like it was made for Jo. "I think this dress was just made for you."

"Well, I won't be wearing this long," Jo informed him.

When he was done buttoning the dress, Jo turned around so he could see. She put the hat on that went with it and posed with the fan. Mac laughed at that. "Are you laughing at me, sir?" Jo asked with her deepest Southern accent.

Mac could not help but laugh. "I think you were born in the wrong time," he said. "You would have been the most beautiful of them all."

Jo moved up closer to him. "Oh really? You know what they say about Southern Belles?"

"What?"

"They know how to keep their man."

"You won't have any trouble doing that."

Jo put her arms around his neck and kissed him. "I love you so much, Mac," she said as she touched his cheek.

"I love you too."

"I wouldn't have cared if this whole place burned down as long as I still have you."

Mac realized how scared Jo had been when she saw that barn burning. He hugged her tightly and then realized she was crying. "I'm here, Jo," he said. He would find out who did all this and they would pay.


	7. Chapter 7

**Hi, everybody. I know some of you don't like this story but I have to finish it before I start something else. I hope some of you are enjoying it. Maybe we will get to some action soon. miss37**

Mac went back outside to the charred barn. One would not even be able to tell what had stood there and there was nothing salvageable. It was totally black and the whole barn had collapsed. The burned out body of his truck sat there in ruin as though it were on an assembly line before anything was added that made it look like a truck, and the trailer was completely ruined too, although he thought it might be salvageable if it was cleaned up. It had been mostly metal but when he looked closer, he could see that the wiring on the sides was ruined. Of course everything that had been in the trailer and the back of the truck had been melted and ruined.

Mac stood there feeling helpless. Whatever evidence there might have been as to who did this, was all destroyed in that fire. Just then, Mac heard footsteps, and he instinctively reached to his side, where there was no weapon anymore, but he saw that Sam was coming around the barn. "Hi, Mister Taylor," he said.

"Sam."

"I'm sure sorry about this. I should have stayed here with you until you went in for the night."

"This is not your fault. You couldn't have done anything to stop it."

"Why did they do this?"

"They were looking for some map. Do you know anything about that?"

Sam looked at Mac. "I remember Mister Danville talking about a map a long time ago but I never saw it," he said. "There were a lot of secrets around this place."

"Did he have some sort of favorite place he would go very often?"

"The story was that the previous owners of this land had buried money and even gold, jewels on this land and they had maps that showed where it was. There were several copies of those maps and they were given to certain members of that family and passed down, and Mister Danville was the grandson of the first one to own this property. Nobody ever dug it up as far as I know."

"So where are the maps?" Mac asked.

"I don't know. I don't even know that they ever existed. It's just something that was told."

"Well, I'll tell you this, Sam: somebody believes it's out there…or here."

Sam looked at the charred barn. "Yeah, I can see that." He looked at Mac. "I don't know where it is," he said. "It could have been in this barn for all I know."

"Well if it was, it's gone now. Just think. Was there any place that he would have hidden something?"

Sam considered that a moment, and then he looked at Mac. He pointed toward the other end of the property where the vineyards and greenhouses were. "Mister Danville had an old Cadillac car that he kept in storage down there in that old lock-up shed. He loved that old car. He could have hidden it in there."

"A Cadillac? I haven't seen that."

"I'll show you."

Mac followed Sam over to the corral where he got two horses and saddled them. "We were lucky the horses got out," Sam said. "I had a safety in there that they could kick that stall open if they got upset about something."

"They are lucky because I don't think they intended for the horses to get out," Mac said.

"They're still a little scared this morning, but they're getting better."

Mac rubbed the black horse's mane and neck. "Everything's okay now, boy, and we'll get you another shelter built."

When the horses were saddled, they headed out to the area where the green houses were. Mac enjoyed riding horses. He had not rode horses very much when he was in New York but he had been riding them since he moved down here. They got out to the greenhouses, and Sam showed Mac where the shed was with the car in it. "How long has this been here?" Mac asked.

"Oh, I don't know," Sam replied. "Several years."

Mac waited while Sam opened the door and he went in to find a 1966 Cadillac sitting in the garage, and it looked like it was in pristine condition to have been put away all this time. "You have the keys to it?" he asked.

Sam smiled and went over to the wall and flipped on the lights and there was a metal box sitting at the side that had the keys in it. Mac did not think the car would crank after all this time but he thought maybe that map was in there…if there was a map. He unlocked the car and remembered the time they were trying to figure out where someone had hidden something in a car and they had a technique for opening the secret compartment. He did not think Jo's father had anything like that in this car, but he thought that map was probably hidden in it somewhere.

Mac looked in the glove compartment and under the seats, then he looked in the trunk and the spare tire well. He sat and thought a moment. Where would someone hide something like a map in a car like this? He pulled the hood and looked under it too. He did not see anything out of place or that looked like it was not connected. Next, he looked under the back seat which came out completely. However, there was nothing there either. He put the seat back and decided there was nothing in the car. He looked around the shed looking for anything that looked like it could have some sort of compartment, but he did not see anything.

"Well, thanks, Sam," Mac said. "I don't think it's here."

"Why don't you just take the car and drive it?" Sam asked.

Mac gave him a skeptical look. "You think it will crank after all this time?"

"Try it."

Mac put the key in the ignition and to his surprise, it cranked easily. He looked at Sam. "How is it still running?"

"It's been well taken care of and it hasn't always just sat here."

"Well, I don't have a truck now so I guess I need something to drive."

"I'll take care of the horses."

"Thanks."

Mac looked to see Marci standing outside the greenhouse. He thought maybe he should ask her some questions. He parked the car and then went over to Marci. "Hi," he said.

"Hi," Marci replied. "I see you're going to drive the old Cadillac."

"Might as well." Mac looked at her. "I was wondering if you knew any place that Mister Danville would have hidden something."

"Hidden something? Like what?"

"A map. There's been a lot of talk about a map lately."

Marci just looked at Mac a moment. "I never met Mister Danville so I wouldn't know."

"Right. I just thought maybe someone mentioned something to you. What about Mrs. Danville?"

"She was a very nice lady and I miss her."

Mac paused a moment as he studied Marci. "That's not what I asked you," he said.

"Mister Taylor, there are some secrets that are better left untold," Marci replied.

"Marci, someone hit me on the head and knocked me out and then they burned our barn to the ground. You need to tell me if you know something about this. I'm going to get to the bottom of this situation."

"You would be better off just letting it go, and let the police handle it."

"I can't do that. I have to find out who burned that barn down and why. Are you going to tell me or am I going to have to tell the sheriff?"

"You think I've committed some sort of crime?"

"No but I think you're withholding evidence that might solve a crime."

"I don't know who burned that barn down but I can't believe that Mister Stockwell would have had anything to do with that."

"You know him?"

"I've met him."

"Where?"

"He came over here once."

"To do what?"

"His property is right over there. He just walked over."

Mac frowned. "And he didn't go down to the house to talk to anyone else?" he asked.

"Not that I know of."

"Where did he go after he talked to you? And what did you talk about?"

"I assume he went back home, and we talked about the plants I have here in the greenhouse."

"How long ago was this?"

"Maybe two weeks ago."

Mac considered that a moment. "The greenhouse, huh?" He went into the greenhouse and Marci followed him. "Did he pay any particular attention to anything in here while he was here?"

"He looked at the tomato plants, and just walked around looking at the plants," Marci said. "What are you looking for?"

"Answers."

Mac walked around the greenhouse. He knew that Mrs. Danville had loved the greenhouses and the roses…he went over to the rosebushes that were in pots. He wondered if they would have hidden that map out here in this greenhouse somewhere. Marci walked up beside him. "You wouldn't pull up the roses?" she asked.

Mac looked at her. "Marci, I was the head of the crime lab in New York," he said. "Believe me, I have torn a lot of things apart, including exotic cars and penthouses. I have no qualms about pulling up rose bushes. Besides, they can be replanted anyway. Now, if you want to tell me what you know, I might not have to pull up but one of them."

Marci looked at Mac. "The Rio Samba," she said. "That was her favorite. If they hid it here, I would think that it would be in that one."

"Which one is that?"

Marci showed him which rosebush it was. "It hasn't leafed out yet," she said.

"Well, that should be a plus for it then because it won't be shocked."

Marci helped Mac get the rosebush out of the pot without damaging it in any way. He could see something up between the roots of the plant and it was sealed in plastic. He pulled it out from the roots and looked at the bag. He laid it on the table and opened it to see what was inside. There was a burlap bag inside that had papers in it. He looked at Marci. "Well, I think I'll take this to the house and let Jo see it," he said. "Thanks."

Marci just watched Mac leave. She hoped he and Jo did not get into trouble. She liked her job and she thought if something happened to them, she would probably be out of this place under new ownership.

Mac went back to the house and as he was getting out of that car, Jo came out the door. "Mac Taylor, where did you get this car?" she asked.

"It was down there in a shed," Mac said.

Jo rubbed the hood of the car as she remembered it. "This was daddy's old car," she said.

Mac nodded. "Sam showed it to me." He held up the burlap bag. "I also found this in a rosebush pot out there."

"What is it?"

"Let's go in and find out."

They went into the house and sat down at the table. Mac took the contents of the bag out so they could find out if it was anything important. The first paper was a map of the whole area where the land had been divided and sold into plats. "It's hard to believe one person used to own all this around here," Jo said.

Mac opened the next paper and it definitely looked like a map and there was an old key. "Wow, I guess it is true," he said. He looked at Jo. "No wonder that piece of land was never farmed. He knew it was there, Jo."

Jo sighed. "I can't believe this. He had this hidden all that time."

"Looks like it. He must have known there were people who wanted this and they would kill for it."

"You think he was threatened?"

"I don't know, Jo. Was there ever any trouble?"

"Mac, a long time ago, people did not let their kids know about their troubles. They handled it and let their kids be happy and think everything was right in the world."

Mac nodded. "I know."

"Sam must know more about this."

"He didn't seem to. I talked to him."

"I can't believe my mother didn't ever mention this to me. She never said anything."

"Maybe they wanted to just forget it."

"Why did they keep the map then?"

"All this has a lot of questions. I just don't understand any of it."

"I guess the only thing to do is go out there and dig it up," Jo said.

"You ready to go treasure hunting?"

"Sure."

"At least I still have the shovel I bought because I have it on the porch. Let's go."

They went out and got the shovel, and followed the map out to the ground that Mac had intended to break up for a garden. "Hey, in just a few more days, I might have found this anyway," he said.

They finally found the spot and began digging. Jo looked around them as Mac was digging. "I don't like this," she said.

"Don't like what?" Mac asked.

"I feel like we're being watched."

Mad had to admit he felt that way too, but he was going to dig it up anyway if there was anything here. "How deep do you bury something like that?" he asked.

"I have no idea," Jo said. "This would be my first treasure hunt."

"Mine too."

As Mac got down to about three feet, he hit something hard. "Uh oh," he said. "Looks like we've hit pay dirt."

"Oh Mac, just hurry. I don't like being out here like this."

"Just relax, Honey."

Mac finally got enough dirt off the object that they could tell that it was a box. Sam came out there where they were and he had a shotgun. "I'll watch for you," he said.

Mac just looked at him a moment and then went on digging. He finally got enough dirt off that he could get the box out but it was very heavy. Sam gave the shotgun to Jo and helped Mac get the box out. "Let's take it in the house," Jo said.

They headed for the house with the box and Jo holding the shotgun. Mac could not believe this was happening in this day and time. "Are we sure we haven't traveled through time to the old West?" he asked.

"I thought you didn't believe in time travel," Jo said.

"Oh yeah."

Jo almost laughed but she was still wary. She was glad when they arrived at the house and got inside. Mac was glad to set that box down. "Right on my clean floor," Jo said.

"I'll clean it," Mac replied.

There was an old lock on the box, but there had been a key in the burlap bag, so they used it and it opened the lock…


	8. Chapter 8

Mac opened the lid of the chest they had found and they all looked inside. Mac picked up one bundle of cash and looked at Jo with an amused look. "I guess they never thought about when this money was buried, did they?" he asked.

Jo smiled as she took the stack of confederate bills. "I can't believe it," she said. "It might as well be counterfeit."

"And our barn got burned down because of this."

Mac moved more stacks of confederate bills and on the bottom he found a small sack that looked like it was made of blue velvet. He picked it up and pulled the drawstring loose and poured the contents out in his hand. Jo gasped as she saw what was in the bag. Mac looked at her. "Well, I guess this is what they're after," he said. He looked at the jewels in his hand, and they were not small ones. He figured they were probably real since they had been buried. He did not see any reason that someone would bury fake jewels. There were a few diamonds there, but there were rubies, emeralds and sapphires too. "Jo, this must be worth…not telling what, and they're cut too."

"Mac, my father never had anything like this," Jo said.

"It was buried before he got this property. When all these others found out that it wasn't buried on their land, they must have figured that it was here."

"But why now?"

Mac shook his head. "I don't know," he said. "Maybe because they think they can run us off so they can grab it."

Jo put her hand on her hip. "Well, they have another thought coming if that's what they think. I may have lived away for a long time, but I'm still a Southern woman, and nobody is going to run me off my property."

"I agree. I like it here."

Mac stood up and looked at Sam who was just as surprised as they were. "Don't breathe a word of this to anyone," he said. "You might say something about those confederate bills but not this."

"You can trust me, Mister Taylor," Sam replied. "You folks have been good to me."

"Thanks."

Mac tied up the small bag again and he and Jo went up to their room. "Mac, I feel like we are sitting on a big secret," Jo said.

"We are, Jo," Mac replied. "But I think that whoever burned down that barn thought this was a lot bigger than what it is." He sat down on the bed. "I'm just not sure this is all of it. No wonder the other family members didn't ever dig it up. They knew it was worthless."

"That must be why it was buried. They were hiding it from the Union army and when the war was over, it was worthless, so they never dug it up. But why keep the map?"

"Someone must have known about those jewels. They had to know or they wouldn't have kept the map like that. I'd like to know what family tree James Stockwell is hanging on."

Jo folded her arms. "Are you saying that you think I'm kin to that puffed up chauvinist?"

Mac raised his eyebrows. "You never know."

"Oh come on, Mac. Surely mama would have told me."

"What was your mother's maiden name?"

"Jones."

"This could take some time to hunt this down."

"You're right, but I think that's a wild goose chase."

Mac smiled. "You would hate it if you found out he was your cousin, wouldn't you?"

"Yes, I would."

Mac laughed. "Hey, I have family members that I'm not too proud of either."

"You do? You haven't told me about any of them. All I know is you have a brother somewhere in the world and a sister."

Mac nodded. "Yes, but my two of my mother's brothers are still around and one of her sisters, and two of my father's sisters are around. I couldn't even tell you how long it's been since I saw any of them."

"That's a shame, Mac. Family shouldn't be so distant and never contact one another. My mother was my last living relative since my sister died."

"No, you have your son and Ellie."

"You know what I mean."

"Sure I do."

Jo sat down beside Mac and put her arms around his neck. "Why don't we make another relative, Mac?" she asked.

Mac was surprised by that question. "What? At our age?"

"Oh, Mac, we're not too old."

"Jo."

"It sure would be a lot of fun trying."

"I would have never thought I would hear this question from you."

"You know how I love my children. There's nothing more wonderful. Think about Jason."

Mac chuckled. "Yeah, imagine what he would feel like having a little baby brother at his age," he said.

"Mac, please, at least consider it." Jo kissed him.

"Now, don't try to seduce me."

"Seduce you? I didn't know I had to do that anymore since you're my husband."

"You know what I mean."

Jo leaned to his ear and whispered, "If I want to seduce you, I would just strip right here in front of you."

Mac looked at her. "Stop that."

Jo laughed and tightened her arms around his neck and kissed him again. "I love you."

"I love you too but…let's think about this some more before we…"

"Before we start hanging from the chandeliers?"

"Let go of me, woman. I have to figure out what to do with these things."

"I think we should put them in the safety deposit box at the bank."

"I agree. This is way too much to be lying around here like this."

Jo opened the bag and looked at the jewels. "Oh, they're so beautiful, Mac. I want a ring made with one of them," she said.

"Which one?"

"That beautiful ruby. It's my birthstone, you know."

Mac picked up the ruby. "That should make a very nice one."

"Do you think my mother knew about this?" Jo asked.

"I don't know. You would know more about that than me."

"I just don't know, Mac."

"I guess every family has its secrets. I'm just glad yours wasn't so bad."

"Let's go and take these to the bank now."

"Okay."

They went downstairs and looked out before they went out the door. "I don't like being nervous like this, Mac," Jo said.

"I don't either," Mac agreed. He went back upstairs and when he came back, he had his handgun with him."

"You're taking that with you?"

"Yes. I won't be caught off-guard again."

They went out to the Cadillac and got in. "I remember this old car," Jo said as she rubbed the dash. "I remember when Daddy took us on vacations in this old car. We had such a good time."

Mac cranked the car and looked at Jo. "You don't mind me using it, do you?" he asked.

"Oh no. I just can't believe it's here and it still runs."

"It needs gas. I guess we'll have to make a pit stop."

While Mac was pumping gas, he thought about what they were about to do. He thought maybe they should make another stop before they went to the bank. He finished pumping the gas and got in the car. "Jo, I think we need to make another stop," he said.

"Where?" Jo asked.

"The jewelry store. I want to get these things appraised."

"You don't really think they're fake, do you?"

"Oh no, but I think I would like to anyway."

"Okay."

They went to the jewelry store where Mac went most of the time when he had to get his watch serviced. He always had to have a good jeweler to keep his old watch running. They went inside and Harvey, the jeweler was there at the counter. "Well, hello, Mac," he said. "Don't tell me that old antique is giving you trouble again."

Mac smiled. It was not the first time he had been teased about his old watch, but it had belonged to his father…and he would not part from it. "No. I'm here about something else today."

"What have you got?"

Mac walked up to the counter. "Harvey, I want you to promise that you won't say anything about what we're about to show you," he said.

"Sure," Harvey replied wondering what it could be.

Mac poured the jewels out into his hand, and Harvey's mouth dropped open. He looked at Mac. "Where did you get those?" he asked.

"It's a long story, but I want to know how much they're worth."

Harvey looked at the jewels as he whistled in surprise. He looked at the ruby through his loupe and under a light. "Oh, you've got a real one here," he said. "Unmistakable. Just fascinating." He looked at Mac. "You want to sell these? I could make something from these."

"Well, actually, my wife wants a ring made from that ruby."

"Oh, well I can sure fix you anything you want."

"What about the others?"

Harvey looked at the other jewels and confirmed that they were real too. "Where did these come from?" he asked.

"Well, they were part of a big legend that turned out to be true," Mac said.

"They were hidden?"

"Yes," Jo said. "Buried. But there was no money except confederate money."

"Well, can't do much with that now."

Mac picked up the jewels and gave the ruby to Harvey. "Make her a ring out of that," he said.

"Sell me that diamond there," Harvey said.

Mac looked at Jo. "What do you think?" he asked.

"I think we should keep them for a while," Jo said. "I want to find out more about this."

"There are no serial numbers on them," Harvey pointed out. "That means they don't belong to anyone. They didn't come from a store or any other company."

"Oh, these are quite old."

"Maybe they panned for them up in the mountains of North Carolina or somewhere over there. They have had big finds out there."

"You could be right."

Harvey took out several ring settings and jewel examples. "Pick out your ring," he said.

Jo looked at them and had a very hard time choosing a ring and a shape for the jewel but she finally chose one. "I'll have it done in two or three days," Harvey said.

"We'll be here to get it," Mac replied.

Mac and Jo went back out to the car and headed on to the bank. "You think that ruby's safe there?" Jo asked.

"Probably just as safe as it would be with us," Mac said. "Besides, you can't get a ring if he doesn't have the jewel."

"You know what? My father took us panning before up in those mountains." She held up the ring that was on her hand that she had found in the attic. "I think he had this ring made from a jewel he found there. The more I think about it, the more I remember."

"Sometimes it works that way."

"It's so beautiful, isn't it?"

Mac nodded. "It is, and a beautiful woman is wearing it. It will be something you can pass down to Ellie."

Jo smiled. "And maybe I can pass the other one down to…"

Mac looked at her. "Don't start that again. We are way too old for that."

"Too old? Speak for yourself."

"People would talk about us if we had a baby at our age. Your daughter would be saying, 'Ew! Mom!'"

Jo laughed at Mac's mockery of a female voice. "Are you worried about people talking about us?"

Mac was smiling, not believing that they were having this conversation but he also remembered her talking to him about getting married and having a child or adopting one. "They would think we're still fresh," he said.

"Oh we are," Jo replied. "We're newlyweds."

They arrived at the bank and Mac parked. "Let's not talk about this right now," he said. "I'll have a red face in there."

Jo was giggling about that as they went in. Mac shook his head trying not to think anymore about that at the moment. They went inside and put the jewels in their safety deposit box. Then they went to see the lawyer who had handled the will so that they could talk to him about what they had found.

Ralph was in the office when they arrived and he was not busy so he saw them then. Jo told him what they had found and what had happened. "I heard about what happened," Ralph said. "If you need help with the insurance claims, I'll be glad to help."

"We probably do," Jo said.

"If you found something buried on your land, as far as I'm concerned, it belongs to you. Especially if it was from that long ago."

"They were real," Mac said.

"Well, there are plenty of mines around to find jewels. They could have come from either of them. Any idea why they would be buried?"

"Not a clue," Jo said.

"I'd keep them in a safe place."

"We are."

"Have you started the insurance claim yet?" Ralph asked.

"No," Mac said. "The investigation is not over yet."

"You don't have any idea who did it?"

"No. I didn't know them and they had their faces covered."

"I'm sorry. I wish I could help."

"We'll see you, Ralph," Jo said. "We'll get those insurance papers to you."

Mac and Jo went back out to the car and sat there a moment. "What are you thinking?" Jo asked.

"Why would they burn down that barn if they didn't even know where the map was?" Mac asked. "How would they know that it wasn't in there?"

"I think they would guess that it wasn't there."

"Do you think Stockwell would do that?" Mac asked.

"I don't know. I don't know the man at all. He seemed high and mighty with himself to me."

"I agree. If I could have just gotten a look at them."

"There must be a way to figure out who did it."

Mac nodded. He cranked the car and drove back home. "I'll be back later," he said.

"Where are you going now?" Jo asked.

"Trust me."

"I do."

Mac headed out. He would go to town and linger around to find out where all the gossip got started. There was always a grapevine in just about every town and he knew this one had to have one.


	9. Chapter 9

**Sorry it has taken so long to get this chapter done, but between sickness and what seems like a thousand college assignments, it has just been slow. :) Hope you enjoy this chapter, and hope you will send reviews. miss37**

Mac drove down to the barber shop. He knew there was always gossip going on in a barber shop just like it was going on in a beauty salon. He hoped someone in there would be talking about what happened and maybe they would know something about who was responsible. Mac walked into the barber shop, and there were about seven men in there sitting around talking. They all looked up at him when he walked in.

"Morning," Mac said as he sat down.

"It'll be a while," Howard, the barber said.

"That'll be fine."

"Hey, you're Mac Taylor, aren't you?"

"I am."

"Sorry about your barn. I heard what happened."

"Thanks."

"Do they know who did it?" another man asked.

"Not yet," Mac replied. "But I think they will find out."

"I heard James Stockwell was involved."

"I don't know." Mac knew he could not spread rumors around. "We don't have any idea who did it yet. I didn't recognize the men who attacked me."

The room was silent. Mac realized he was not going to get any information out of this crowd. After all, he was not exactly a citizen of this city. He had only lived there for a year. He stood up. "I'll come back later," he said.

Mac went out to the car and thought as he drove. He did not know what to do next. He would just go to the sheriff's office and see what they had found out. He might not be part of the police department, but he still had a detective's mind. Jo did not want to get involved in the investigation. She had made that clear. He supposed he wanted to be at it again. He missed his work, and now he was out of that for good but…

Mac drove over to the sheriff's office and went inside. "I want to see Sheriff Duncan," he said.

"I'll see if he's busy," the officer at the desk said. "What's your name?"

"Mac Taylor."

Mac waited while the deputy went to talk to the sheriff. He could smell all the familiar smells of a police station, one being that smell of over-brewed coffee, and of gun oil as well. He heard the creak of a chair as someone leaned to one side, and the sound of a keyboard. Mac shook his head. He had to stop thinking about that so much.

Soon, the deputy came back. "Go on in," he said. "The third office on the left."

Mac went down the hallway and the office door was open. "Come on in, Mister Taylor," Sheriff Duncan said.

Mac found that is sometimes bothered him being called "Mister" Taylor rather than "Detective" Taylor. After all, he had been called Detective for a lot of years…almost half his life. He went in and shook the sheriff's hand. "What can I do for you?" Sheriff Duncan asked as they sat down.

"I was wondering if you've found anything," Mac said. "I'd like to see the report if I can."

Sheriff Duncan stared at him a moment. "Why?" he asked. "Do you think we can't do as good a job as you could?"

Mac frowned. "No, that is not what I think," he said. "I just want to know what's going on."

Sheriff Duncan leaned on his desk. "I know you were a detective for a long time but you're not now. Why don't you just let us handle this case?"

"I may not be a detective now, but I have a right to know what you've found in this case. After all, someone assaulted me and burned my barn down, and I don't think anyone is considering the fact that James Stockwell came over there and practically threatened us about not selling that land to him. I think it has something to do with that treasure that everybody thinks is buried out there."

"Treasure?" Sheriff Duncan laughed. "Are you talking about that old legend that's been told around here for years?"

"Yeah, that's the one. Who knows whether it's true or not?"

Duncan looked at Mac. "Why would you think it's true?"

"I have my reasons, none of your business, though. Family affairs, you know."

Duncan frowned. "Did they say anything to you about a treasure?"

"They said something about a map. Whoever did all this wanted that map and they thought I knew where it was."

"But you don't, right?"

Mac shifted in his chair. "You never know," he said. "At the time they were…interrogating me, I didn't know a thing about it, but I just got to thinking that it was strange that all this happened right at the time that James Stockwell wanted so badly to buy our place."

"We've considered that, Taylor. Before you accuse someone like Stockwell of this, you better have some proof."

"I think putting two and two together is enough proof to wonder about it."

"Maybe for you but for us, we have to have something that ties him to it. Surely you know that."

Mac frowned. He knew it all too well. "Alright," he said as he stood up. "I'm going to find proof."

Sheriff Duncan stood up. "Now, you just hold on there," he said. "You can't take the law into your own hands."

"I'm not taking the law into my own hands. I'm going to ask some questions."

"To who?"

"Whoever I want to."

"You better stay away from James Stockwell. You could wind up in jail yourself."

"For what? Asking questions that make him uncomfortable?"

"Just don't stir up any trouble."

"If there's any trouble, it won't be caused by me."

Mac went out to his car. He knew the sheriff was right…they had to have proof. He would get some proof. He drove home and went out to the old stable that was being used to keep the horses until they could get a new barn built. He still felt furious when he thought of what all he lost in that fire. He wanted his truck back but it would be a while before he would get anything out of that.

"Mac!"

Mac sighed as he heard Jo calling him. He knew she would not want him going out getting into trouble. He wanted to be in trouble if that was what everyone wanted to call it. He was tired of sitting around doing nothing.

"Mac!"

"I'm in the stable!" Mac called as he was saddling a horse.

The door to the stable opened and Jo came in. "What are you doing?" she asked.

"I'm going to ride this horse."

"You're getting involved in that investigation, aren't you?"

"Jo, just let me do what I want without having to explain everything."

"I wish you would just let the law handle this."

Mac looked at her. "I can't believe you're not even curious at all."

"I don't want to be in this anymore, Mac. I want to live peaceably now without having to worry about chasing some criminal. I just don't want to."

"Well, I do want to. So just let me be."

"Just don't get yourself killed."

"I don't intend to."

Jo walked over to Mac and he stopped what he was doing. "I promise I am going to be careful," he said.

Jo touched his face. "You better," she said. "I just don't want to get involved in this."

"You don't have to. Just be careful around here."

"I will." Jo kissed him. "Don't get into trouble either."

"Stop worrying."

Mac got on the horse. "I don't know how long I'll be gone."

"Are you going snooping?"

Mac smiled. "Hey, I call it surveillance."

Jo smiled as he rode away. She knew what he was going to do. She just hoped he would not end up beat up or something.

Mac rode out to the woods behind the property and down to the lake. He remembered when Jason had come down to this area and had gotten into trouble. He intended to find the property line where James Stockwell's property joined theirs. He knew approximately where it was since he had seen the land map. He rode out until he could see into Stockwell's property which was surrounded by a fence.

Mac tied the horse where it could not be seen and then sat down beside a tree to watch and see what he could see. He saw two men out beside the barn. One of them was shoeing a horse and the other was sawing some wood. He could hear them talking.

"What do you think about it, Matt?" one of the men asked.

"Think about what, Andy?" Matt asked.

"About that map he's always talking about?"

"I think I'm about sick of hearing about it, that's what I think. I want to get the shoes on this horse and get to doing something else."

"You mean you don't think there's anything to it?"

"I don't."

Andy shook his head. "Well, for something that isn't true, he sure is going to a lot of trouble for it."

Matt stopped what he was doing and looked at Andy. "Some people go to a lot of trouble for things that they just 'think' are true. It doesn't mean it's true."

"Do you think Steve and Barry are the ones who burned that barn down?" Andy asked.

"I don't know, and I don't want to know. I am having nothing to do with harassing people. Do you know those two people who own that over there used to be detectives in New York City?"

"New York? What are they doing here?"

"From what I know, the woman lived here when she was young and then moved away and became a detective, an FBI agent…something. Anyway, I don't want anything to do with that. Even if someone found that map, it would still belong to them."

Andy stopped sawing a moment. "You know what I heard?" he asked. "I heard that Mister Stockwell actually found what was buried on his land and he knows the other exists."

"How would you know that?" Matt asked.

"I was standing outside the window once and heard him talking. He knows that stuff exists. He said there was jewels in it. He didn't say anything about money."

"I'm not worried about it because it wouldn't be mine anyway."

Mac frowned as he realized that Stockwell must have sent someone over there to intimidate him into telling them where that map was. He wondered if Stockwell knew they were going to burn the barn down or if that was just something that they decided to do out of their own anger. Matt and Andy did not seem to know what happened, but they had mentioned someone named Steve, and Barry. Mac wanted to know who they were and if they were the ones who came over to his barn. If they were, he had a bone to pick with them. He wished he knew their last names. Last names were important when one was working on a criminal case, and that was what this was…a criminal case.

While Mac was sitting there, he saw James Stockwell come out of his house onto the back porch and there were two men with him. Mac moved to another tree that was closer to the house to listen. "It was stupid!" Stockwell said. "Do you know what will happen if someone finds out that we were involved?"

"Nobody is going to find out," one of the other men said.

"I'd like to know why you think they wouldn't."

"Duncan isn't gonna go against you. He knows where his butter's breaded at."

"I wouldn't bet on it. He 'is' the sheriff in these parts."

"Yeah, but you're the biggest land owner and richest man around here."

Stockwell sat down in a chair. "You were just supposed to intimidate him, not burn his barn down. All I told you to do was go over there and talk to him and maybe rough him up a little, but you two had to take it to the next level. Now, you've committed a crime!"

"Well, if we go down, you're going with us because you sent us over there," one of the men said.

"I never told you to burn down his barn. Who do you think they're going to believe?"

"You think they're going to believe that you sent us over there during the night just to talk to him?"

"That's what I said, and my word's as good as gold in this town."

Mac could see that Stockwell was making the two men angry, but he had not heard their names. He thought maybe this was Steve and Barry. He opened a pack of peanuts that he had in his pocket and started eating them while he listened to them talk. He knew he had found the two who burned down his barn and the evidence he was collecting was not illegal because he was sitting on his own property. He could not help it if they were talking loud enough that he could hear them. Mac smiled at that thought. As long as he was not trespassing, the evidence could be used and he was hearing everything he needed to hear. He was also writing down a description of the two men who committed the crime. If that sheriff gave him the runaround, he would call someone else to report this. They would not get away with destroying his barn and beating him up and scaring his wife half to death. It made him angry to think of how they scared Jo. She had been thinking that he was in that barn when it was burning. From what he had learned, if it had not been for Ellie, Jo would have probably been hurt trying to find him.

Mac decided to be a little mischievous. He stood up and stretched so that Stockwell and those two men could see him. "Howdy, neighbor!" he said. "This sure is a nice place to sit down and rest in the shade." Mac could see that Stockwell's face turned a shade whiter. "See you folks later."

Mac was chuckling as he went to his horse. He had just wanted them to know that he heard their conversation. He mounted the horse and headed back home. He knew those men were dangerous but he did not think they would try to do anything to him out here in these woods…it would be too suspicious. He would get home and tell Jo what he had found out and he would go into town and tell that sheriff. If he would not listen…well, he would find someone who would.

**I may not own CSINY or the characters, but I own these stories. They are complete originals and are not copied from any sort of CSINY book or show or any other source. **


	10. Chapter 10

Mac rode into the stable and put the horse away, and then he went to the house. "Jo, I'm home!" he called as he went into the house. He could not get used to the size of this old house. It was much too big for only two people but he supposed there would always be room for Ellie and Tyler when they came home and Jason too. He had not talked to Jason in a few days. He supposed he did not know about what happened yet.

Jo came down the stairs. "Well, what kind of trouble did you get into?" she asked.

"None," Mac said. "I did find the people who burned down our barn, and Stockwell is up to his neck in this."

"How did you find that out?"

"I was sitting in the shade out on the south forty and I just happened to overhear their conversation."

Jo folded her arms. "I just bet it was 'just happened'."

Mac smiled. "Well, I was on my own property and they came out over there talking and I just happened to hear them."

"Mac Taylor. Did they see you?" Jo rolled her eyes. "Never mind, I'm sure you wanted them to know you heard them."

"Of course. I've never been good at being sneaky."

"The direct approach."

"Yeah and you should have seen his face. I think the man could have fainted."

"What are you going to do now?"

"I'm going to tell the sheriff what I saw and heard."

"You wrote it down?"

"Of course. What kind of detective would I be if I didn't take notes?"

"Well, you always were the best."

"You going with me?"

"I've seen you in action."

Mac smiled. "You don't want to see me in action today?"

Jo put her arms around his neck. "The only action I want to see out of you is tonight when we get in bed."

"Okay, okay. I'll be back later."

Mac went out the door and headed down to the sheriff's office. He hoped that sheriff would believe him. However, James Stockwell seemed very confident that the sheriff would be on his side. How could he be on the side of someone who would burn someone's barn down? That would not be a very good sign of honesty.

Mac went into the sheriff's office but the sheriff was out at the time. "When will he be back?" Mac asked.

"I'm not sure," the deputy said. "Can I help you with something?"

"You know who I am, don't you? About my case?"

"I do. You're the one whose barn was burned down. Something wrong?"

"I have some evidence for my case."

"Evidence? What kind of evidence?"

"Are you authorized to work on this case?"

"No, but…" The deputy pointed across the room to a man sitting at a desk. "That's Detective Holmes. He is working on that. You can talk to him."

"Thanks. I will."

Mac went over to the detective's desk. "Detective Holmes?"

The man looked up at Mac. He had blue eyes and blond hair and when he stood up, Mac thought he must be at least 6'4". He shook Mac's hand. "Mister Taylor," he said. "What can I do for you?"

"I have some new evidence for you," Mac said.

"Have a seat."

Mac sat down and laid his notepad on the desk. "I was out on the back stretch of my property and I happened to overhear some conversations," he said.

"Really?"

"Yes. They were very interesting."

"I'll bet. Would it happened to be that James Stockwell was in on this conversation?"

"He was involved in one of them."

Detective Holmes took out a report sheet. "Where were you when you heard this?" he asked.

"I was sitting beside a tree on my property. I had been riding a horse and I decided to sit in the shade a while."

"Uh huh. And where was this tree?"

"Like I said, it was on my property. Stockwell has a fence around his so it's easy to see where the line is."

"And I'm sure you were at least a foot on the other side of that fence?"

"Absolutely. Just for good measure, I was about two feet on the other side."

Detective Holmes shook his head. "You must have been something in New York," he remarked as he wrote down Mac's comments.

"I put a lot of people in prison."

"You made notes about the conversation?"

"I did, and I wrote descriptions of the men who were pointed out as responsible for burning down my barn. I heard the names Barry and Steve. I don't know if these two were them or not, but they are the ones that Stockwell was talking to about burning down the barn."

Detective Holmes read over Mac's notes. "So, Stockwell didn't actually tell them to burn down the barn," he said. "He'll definitely use that in court."

"I'm sure he will but he did tell them to 'rough me up a little'," Mac replied.

"I'm going to make a copy of these notes."

Holmes made a copy of everything Mac had written and gave him back his notepad. "I still have to write it all in a report and I need you to write out a statement."

"I'll be glad to."

"I have a feeling that this will be the most detailed statement that I have ever read."

Mac smiled. "You can count on it."

Holmes gave Mac a yellow notepad and he began writing. He wanted to make sure he did not leave anything out. As Mac was writing, he heard someone come in the door. "Detective Holmes, I'll see you in my office," Sheriff Duncan said sternly.

Mac looked around to see the sheriff standing behind the counter. "I'm taking some statements from Mister Taylor," Holmes said.

"I don't care what you're doing. I want to see you in my office."

Holmes looked at Mac. "I'll be right back," he said.

Mac did not say anything but started writing again and then he noticed that James Stockwell came into the station. "There's that trespasser!" he said pointing to Mac. "I want him arrested for trespassing."

Mac stood up. "I was not on your property," he said.

"Your word against mine, and I think mine has a lot more reach than yours."

Mac glared at him. "Your word doesn't mean spit to me!" He sat back down. "I'm busy."

Stockwell was angry now. "You just settle down there," the deputy at the front desk said. "You'll get to make your statement but you're going to do it in a lawful manner."

Mac tried not to smile. He knew Stockwell thought he should be able to walk all over anyone he wanted. He had to concentrate on his report he was writing and he wondered what that sheriff was talking to Detective Holmes about. He thought it must have something to do with this situation. Mac also knew that if the sheriff tried to stand in the way of this investigation, he would find someone else, like the attorney general to help.

Soon, the sheriff and Detective Holmes came back out into the precinct. Holmes did not look at all happy. He walked over and sat down at his desk where Mac was still writing. "There's no need for you to keep writing that," Holmes said.

"Why?" Mac asked.

"Because Stockwell over there claims that you were sneaking around his property."

"I wasn't. I can show you where I was sitting if you want to go and see."

Holmes looked at Mac a moment. "The sheriff is going to stand in the way of this," he said.

"There are people above him," Mac replied. "And whoever did this to my wife and I is going to pay."

"Well, why don't we just take a ride out to your place when we're done here?"

"I'll be glad to."

"Good."

Holmes continued writing even though he knew the sheriff wanted him to disregard what Mac had told him. He knew Mac was telling the truth. He also knew what a blowhard Stockwell was and he was tired of the man holding his money and authority over the heads of everyone in town. He would like to take the man down a notch or two.

Mac finished his very detailed statement and Holmes made more than one copy in case one of them mysteriously disappeared, and he also gave Mac a copy to keep for himself. "Okay, let's go," Holmes said.

They went out and got into their cars while Stockwell watched them from inside the precinct. Mac went back to his house and Detective Holmes followed. Jo came out when they arrived. "Jo, this is Detective Holmes," Mac said. "He's working on our case."

Jo shook the man's hand. "So, what do you know?" she asked.

"I know what your husband has told me," Holmes said. "I want to get proof."

"How?"

"We'll figure that out."

Mac and Detective Holmes went out to the stable where the horses were and Mac saddled two of them. Then they were off. Mac led him out to the place where he had been sitting. "I was sitting here when I heard the two talking over here while they shoed horses and cut wood, and then I moved over to this tree when I was listening to Stockwell and his two goons," Mac said.

Holmes could clearly see where Mac had been sitting and where he had been walking out there. "And you didn't go across this fence," he said.

"Absolutely not," Mac replied. "You know I was a detective for a lot of years and I know what I can do and what I can't."

Holmes nodded. "Yes I know it but we're up against some powerful people."

"I've taken down people who thought they were above the law before," Mac said. "They don't come down easy but their pedestal can fall just like anyone else's."

"You're right but their pedestal is a lot bigger and is usually made of a lot stronger material."

"Money."

"You got it."

Holmes took pictures of where Mac had been. "Hey, I think I'm going over there for a visit," he said.

"You want me to go with you?" Mac asked.

"Sure. Why not? That way they can't say they don't know who I'm talking about."

Mac smiled and mounted his horse. They rode over to Stockwell's house, and as they came into the yard, two men came out and they had guns on their sides. "Just what are you doing over here?" one of them asked.

"I'm Detective Holmes. I want to talk to you."

"I don't have nothing to say to you." The man looked at Mac. "And he shouldn't be here. He's trespassing."

"He's with me. I just want to know if you saw this man on this property today."

"Why would we have seen him? He's not welcome here."

"So he hasn't been here today?"

"No."

Holmes nodded as he wrote that down. "He was over there in those trees eavesdropping earlier," the man said.

"Is that so?" Holmes asked.

"Yeah, it's so."

"You wouldn't know anything about that barn over there being burned down, would you?"

"I don't know nothing about it."

Holmes looked at the other man. "What about you?" he asked.

"I don't know nothing either," he said.

"You agree with him that Mister Taylor here was over there in the bushes?"

"Yeah. He was."

"Thanks. We'll be seeing you. Oh, and what were your names?"

"Barry," the first man said. "Barry Nevins. And this is Steve Patterson."

Holmes wrote that down. "Thanks."

Mac and Holmes rode away on their horses. "Are those the two men who were talking to Stockwell?" Holmes asked.

"Yep," Mac said. "Obviously Stockwell didn't inform them of his plan."

"Obviously. Now, their word is going to be against his."

"They are the ones who burned down my barn. I'm sure of it."

"We have to find out who these two are and how long they've been around here. I want to know if he just hired them for this or if they have been working for him a long time."

"That might tell a good story."

"Sure might."

Mac was glad they were getting somewhere. He could feel the excitement running through his veins. He belonged in detective work. He knew Jo might not like it but he also knew she would not stand in his way if he wanted to take a job.


End file.
